Pride Month: Honouring resilience and continuing the fight
June 11, 2026
What is Pride Month?
June is a very important month! It's Pride Month, a month dedicated to celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, culture and history, from June 1 to 30.
This community has been recognized through various events, including Pride Toronto, North America’s largest Pride festival. This multiple-day celebration features the annual Pride Parade, Dyke March, Trans March, and more. Beyond this, you can come across various other events and programming that celebrate the talent, stories and achievements of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities (and I’ll be sure to mention a few!).
Pride Month has evolved into a global movement, with celebrations, activism and solidarity at its forefront. It's important that we, as a student body, recognize the ongoing stigma, discrimination, violence and inequities that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community continues to endure. By continuing to stand with and advocate, we move closer to a world where they can truly feel safe and respected.
The importance of Pride Month
Pride Month honours the June 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, remembering the activists who fought against police raids to demand their rights. Their efforts sparked a pivotal global movement that sustained human rights activism in support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community today.
Pride Month is an incredibly important time to practice respect and to learn about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Society often fails to recognize the lived experiences of this community and the ongoing fight they face to achieve equality. As allies, it is critical to foster respectful communication, cultivate a welcoming environment and promote inclusive care. Learning important terminology representative of this community and their history fosters understanding and helps prevent microaggressions and misgendering.
2SLGBTQIA+ terminology to learn
As highlighted on the Government of Canada web page, the following definitions are not exhaustive and serve as a starting point for understanding the identities of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
2SLGBTQIA+ acronym
2S- represents Two-Spirit people as the first 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
L- Lesbian
G- Gay
B- Bisexual
T- Transgender
Q- Queer
I- Intersex, includes sex characteristics beyond sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
A- The lack of sexual attraction/desire for other people.
+ - Represents other sexual orientations, gender identities, and more that are not explicitly stated by the letters in the acronym.
Understanding the 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym promotes inclusivity, respect and safety within the broader community. It's important to take the time to learn about these diverse identities to confront the ongoing inequities faced by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and to ensure people feel seen, supported and accurately represented across various environments, for example, within their own workplaces and healthcare settings.
For more information, visit then Government of Canada’s 2SLBTQI+ terminology - Glossary and common acronyms.
Events to look out for during Pride Month!
If you’re looking to attend some events this Pride Month, below are a few to look out for!
Youth Pride Durham: A friendly, inclusive celebration for youth, children, and families in 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Allies are welcome to join as well. This event will feature drag performances, DJs, face painting, a magic show, and more!
Date: Saturday, June 13 from 1 p.m. to midnight.
Location: 605 Rossland Rd E, Whitby, ON
Open Doors, Open Hearts: Pride Studio Day invites guests to view artworks that reflect the resilience and diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Date: Friday, June 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Arts Resource Centre (45 Queen St, Oshawa, ON)
Drag Queen Story Time: This event features two drag queens showcasing stories celebrating diversity and inclusion. This event is in partnership with Durham Children’s Aid Society, Youth Pride Durham, and Durham Region Libraries
Date: Saturday, June 20 from 1 to 2 p.m.
North Durham Pride After Party: Join the North Durham Pride After Party at Jester’s Court Pub and Eatery in Port Perry to celebrate Pride. Enjoy drinks and fun performances!
Date: Saturday, June 20 from 5 to 9 p.m.
For more information on Pride Toronto and other events, visit the Toronto Pride website.
Pride Month not only celebrates and honours the 2SLGBTQIA+ community; it also serves as a reminder for us all to use inclusive language, promote empathy and stand up against all forms of discrimination. Now more than ever, this community across the world is subjected to hostile legislation and a lack of protection, which leads LGBTQ+ individuals to experience hate motivated vioelence, workplace discrimination, mental health struggles and barriers in accessing healthcare.
You can support this community in many ways! Whether that's through learning about the history of pride, attending a pride event to connect with the 2SLGBTQIA+ people, supporting a queer-owned business, or advocating for inclusive policies within your work or university. By doing so, we are closer to reaching a fair and inclusive society.
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