Monday, June 3, 2024

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• June marks the official start of Pride Month
• Celebrating Indigenous History Month
• Pride Stickers now available in W Print
• Mehndi Boy: The courage to be your true self
• Campus emergency communication system to be tested tomorrow
• Monday's notes

June marks the official start of Pride Month

A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor.

Pride Month is a time to recognize, celebrate and reflect on the incredible diversity of the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexual orientations and gender identities and communities on our campuses and beyond. When I think about Pride, I think about the 2SLGBTQIA+ students, faculty, staff, and alumni who make our institution what it is. All enrich our community and contribute to our diversity which makes us stronger.   

June is also National Indigenous History Month. The shared timing of Pride and National Indigenous History Month is a good reminder to acknowledge the many  intersectional identities in our community. It is important to distinctly recognize Two-Spirit and IndigiQueer individuals who may or may not identify with being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, yet who deserve acknowledgement and allyship as we celebrate sexual and gender diversity.  

This year, the University of Waterloo is proud to continue our tradition of raising the Intersex-Inclusive Progress flag, alongside the Two-Spirit Pride flag, the latter of which we raised for the first time on our campus last year. Both flags reflect the intersectional work being done across our institution to ensure that everyone at Waterloo feels a sense of belonging.    

This year, a shadow hangs over these celebrations as we acknowledge the anniversary of the hate-motivated attack at Hagey Hall that targeted gender expression and identity. Last year’s attack still weighs heavily on our community. It reminds us there is still much that needs to be done to ensure freedom of gender expression and identity while supporting those who experienced and experience trauma. It is also a reminder of the importance of standing in solidarity with our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities against hate.  

On behalf of the University, I want to acknowledge that some members of our community have expressed pain and frustration with the institution over the attack and how we responded to it—and with deep regret, we acknowledge that progress on some of our commitments has been slow.   

Today, we reiterate the University’s ongoing dedication to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels seen, valued and respected. We continue to make progress in several areas. 

Our Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism (EDI-R) is helping navigate transformative cultural change to remove barriers and systems that are slowing our progress. We have been partnering with the organization Pride at Work in our efforts to hire and support individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. The Office of EDI-R has recently shared a new Gender and Sexual Equity Road Map to help guide individuals on their learning journey on the topic of gender and sexuality equity. Additionally, EDI-R will host a series of consultations with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities on campus in the coming weeks (register here).   

We also look forward to welcoming many scholars and students from around the world and our own community to the conference “From Targeting in Academia to Promoting Trust and Understanding” on June 27 and 28, which will facilitate important discussions about scholars who are threatened or targeted for their work, which too often includes those researching gender, sexuality and social justice. (You can read more details on these and other important initiatives on the Provost’s website.) 

A lot of important work has also been happening at the grassroots level through groups such as Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, the QueerTrans Alliance (QTA), EngiQueers, QTPOC KW, Waterloo Womxn + Nonbinary Wednesdays and community organizations like Spectrum in supporting our community. I would like to acknowledge and thank everyone who has contributed to advancing this important work. 

Ultimately, creating a truly supportive community requires all of us to play a part. I plan to take the time to reflect on what Pride Month means and participate in the celebrations and learning opportunities.  

Please visit our  Pride Month webpage which showcases Pride stories, initiatives, events and resources. Every member of our community matters, and we are pleased to showcase some of the work being done in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. 

As we highlight in our Waterloo at 100 vision, as an institution, we have a responsibility to ensure everyone in our community thrives. We must be leaders in encouraging constructive dialogues to eliminate social injustices.  

Pride Month reminds us that this work continues, and our collective progress to date is something to celebrate. 

Wishing you a happy and safe Pride.  

Celebrating Indigenous History Month

A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor. This message was originally published on Waterloo News.

As we enter National Indigenous History Month, we must take time to reflect on the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Canada. This month offers us an opportunity to honor the resilience, wisdom, and achievements of Indigenous communities, while also acknowledging ongoing struggles, and the work that remains to be done in advancing decolonization and reconciliation. 

As you may recall in 2022, we fully committed to reconciliation, Indigenization and decolonization at the University of Waterloo. We, therefore, have a responsibility to center Indigenous perspectives in our curriculum, research and community engagement efforts. We continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous scholars, leaders and organizations to decolonize our practices, promote Indigenous knowledge systems and support the educational aspirations of Indigenous students. 

This fall, the University of Waterloo's main campus is introducing a new outdoor space dedicated to teaching, celebrating and raising awareness about Indigenous peoples and their cultural practices. The gathering space will host events, celebrations and gatherings. It will also serve as an outdoor classroom for educating on Indigenous content. The space will not only be a significant representation of Indigenous presence on campus but will also honour both historical ties to the land and contemporary Indigenous diversity and land usage. Many thanks to the Office of Indigenous Relations, which worked with an Indigenous architect from BrookMcIlroy to consult with members of the Indigenous campus community to develop the structure’s final design.  

Throughout June, our university will be hosting a series of events, discussions, and educational initiatives to amplify Indigenous voices, celebrate Indigenous cultures, and deepen our understanding of Indigenous histories. 

I encourage all members of our community to visit the Indigenous History Month webpage to learn more about and participate in these activities, and to engage thoughtfully in conversations about decolonization and indigenization. 

This month and beyond, let us reaffirm our commitment to truth and reconciliation, to building meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities, and to creating a university environment that is inclusive, respectful and supportive of Indigenous peoples. 

Pride Stickers now available in W Print

A message from the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) and the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA).

In the summer of 2023, the Faculty Association and Staff Association teamed up to distribute more than 5,000 pride flag stickers to employees, with the hope that thousands of pride stickers displayed all over our four campuses would help send the message that all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community belong at Waterloo.

Now, the associations are excited to announce that departments can order both the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag sticker and a new Two-Spirit Pride Flag sticker through the W Print online ordering system. Thank you to the Queer-Trans Alliance at UWaterloo (QTA) for providing input on flag selection. Stickers are available in batches of 20, 60, or 100.

About the flags

Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag: In 2017, the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs commissioned an updated pride flag with black and brown stripes to represent communities of colour often overlooked in the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement. The Progress Pride Flag soon added white, pink, and light blue stripes to represent the trans community. In 2021, a purple circle on a yellow background was added to represent the intersex community, giving us the current version.

Two-Spirit Pride Flag: The UBC Equity & Inclusion Office offers this explanation of the flag design: “The two feathers at the centre represent masculine and feminine identities, and the circle to which the feathers are attached represent the unification of masculinity and femininity into a separate, unique gender. Its placement in front of the rainbow flag signifies explicit inclusion of two-spirit experiences in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.”

You can learn about the whole range of pride and sexual orientation flags on the Human Rights Campaign website.

Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ students and colleagues

If you choose to display a sticker and are approached by a student or colleague looking for support:

1. Listen and acknowledge what they’re experiencing.
2. Ask if and how you can help.
3. If they want, refer them to on- or off-campus resources, either for specific supports or to connect with the 2SLBGTQIA+ community.

If stickers in your area have been removed or damaged and you feel it may be hate-motivated, you can report these incidents to gethelp@uwaterloo.ca.

To equip yourself to support students and colleagues in a range of situations, consider taking training or reviewing resources on:

• Gender & Sexuality Equity Road Map
• 2SLGTBQIA+ Fundamentals
• Gender identity and sexual orientation
• Unlearning the Binary (June 27)
• Supporting a student in distress
• Mental Health Literacy and responding to people in distress
• Active Bystander Intervention and Responding to Disclosures: register for upcoming workshops or view workshop materials

You can also contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) or Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism about custom training for your department.

Mehndi Boy: The courage to be your true self

This is an excerpt of an article published in the 2024 issue of Waterloo Magazine: Happiness.

When Zain Bandali (BES ’20) was growing up, he discovered a love for mehndi, the ancient living art form of henna tattoo. The tradition is popular in South Asia but was considered something only ​women and ​girls could do.    

Despite encountering discouragement, Bandali, an Ismaili Muslim Queer artist of Indo-Tanzanian heritage, became the only boy at his local Jamatkhana doing mehndi for the elders and kids in his community.  

That’s where the idea to write his book, Mehndi Boy, came to life.  

Read how Bandali’s early-reader chapter book explores gender norms and encourages children to find the courage to express their true selves.  

Campus emergency communication system to be tested tomorrow

A message from Information Systems & Technology (IST).

Information Systems & Technology (IST)will be testing the University’s campus-wide emergency communication system on Tuesday, June 4, at 2:15 p.m.

What is the impact?

Emergency communication channels being tested include:

• Tweets to @UWaterloo and @WatSAFEapp;
• WatSAFE mobile app;
• The ‘WatSAFE Desktop Notification’ on-screen pop-up for desktops and laptops; and
• Portal alerts and push notifications.

Messaging

The message displayed will read “TEST of the UW Emergency Notification System. During an actual emergency or threat, you would receive instructions. No action is required.” More information regarding the emergency would be available at alert.uwaterloo.ca.

Approximately 15 minutes after the test activation message is sent, a deactivation message will display, “The test of the UW Emergency Notification System is complete.”

In the event of a real emergency during this test, please contact Police Services at 519-888-4911, or ext. 22222.

Be sure to install the WatSAFE app on your device and WatSAFE Desktop Notification tool on your desktop/laptop to receive this test message, and more importantly, to stay informed of campus emergency situations. Visit the WatSAFE website for more details.

Questions or concerns? Please contact the IST Service Desk via the IST Help Portal.

Monday's notes

The Registrar's Office has announced that the spring term's final examination schedule is now available online.

Speaking of spring, the Spring 2024 Student Experience Survey is now open, according to an announcement from the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit. Students are invited to check their @uwaterloo email or visit LEARN to see if they have been invited to complete the survey. "Only 500 graduate students are invited, it could be you!" The survey is open until June 21.

If you're looking for a tasty way to celebrate Pride month, grab a colourful, rainbow-hued sugar cookie made in house at the Village One (V1) bakeshop. Available for $2.99 at Food Services outlets across campus for the entire month of June.

Faculty and staff are invited to register for the Mental Health Literacy Certificate, which runs sessions from Tuesday, June 4 to Tuesday, July 2, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, on MS Teams. This is a 5-module program for faculty and staff. Check out the sign-up page via Portal.

This Wednesday, the Faculty of Engineering will host the Engineering Graduate Studies Fair in Engineering 7. The event is open to students interested in pursuing Master's and PhD degrees in the Faculty of Engineering.