Celebrating Pride Season 2026

Saint Mary’s University is proud to celebrate Pride season throughout June and July, recognizing Pride Month in June and the Halifax Pride festival in July. The Pride flag will be flown on campus throughout June.

Pride is an acknowledgement and celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender identities). Learn more about identities and evolving terminology. This month, we spotlight the resilience and recognize the contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities at SMU, in Halifax and around the world.

Visit our online 2SLGBTQIA+ hub for resources at Saint Mary’s and join in supporting and uplifting members of our #SMUcommunity!

Events

Paint Your Pride!

Wednesday, June 10
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Quad outside the O’Donnell-Hennessey Student Centre

Join the Student Success Centre in the Quad to celebrate Pride Month and Paint Your Pride!

Use chalk to create a colourful message of pride on the Quad walkways, play fun lawn games and enjoy snacks while celebrating alongside your peers, staff and faculty!

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SMU in the Halifax Pride Parade

Saturday, July 18
12 p.m.
Downtown Halifax

Join Saint Mary’s University at the 2026 Halifax Pride Parade on Saturday, July 18th and show your Husky Pride! All SMU alumni, students, staff, faculty and their families are welcome to join. The 2026 Halifax Pride Parade will take place on Saturday, July 18, at 12 p.m. 

Details on the parade route, exact location of the Saint Mary's float, and meeting time will be communicated by email prior to the parade to all registered participants.   

Register here

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Saint Mary’s Pride Collection

The Saint Mary’s Campus Store has Pride merchandise to help you celebrate Pride Season in style!

Available for purchase:

• SMU Shop (first floor Loyola Academic Building - open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.)

• SMU Campus Store (second floor Student Centre - open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.)

• Order online

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Campus Resources and Support

The SMUSA Pride Centre offers a safe space on campus for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. SMUSA strives to create a welcoming and accepting environment for all. If you are looking for a hang-out spot or a place to study, check out our Pride Centre! Open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Student Centre room 106.

The SMU Student Health Clinic offers letters of readiness for gender-affirming surgery, hormone therapy and more. Dr. Mark Williams is certified by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Visit the Student Health Clinic on the 4th floor of the Student Centre or email student.health@smu.ca for more information.

The SMUSA Extended Health plan includes Gender-Affirming Care (GAC), such as coverage for HRT drug plans, Mental Health Practitioners, and select procedures. To learn more, email healthplan.smusa@smu.ca or visit the Health Plan Office at the Student Centre, room 522.

Derek Voegeli with The Counselling Centre is an active member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and brings extensive knowledge of trans and queer mental health to Saint Mary’s. The Counselling Centre offers free, confidential services to all registered SMU students. Email counselling@smu.ca or visit their webpage for more information.

The SMU Pride Society is dedicated to providing a safe space and advocating on behalf of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community at Saint Mary's University to ensure an equitable and just campus. The society embodies an intersectional framework whilst encouraging meaningful conversations and providing peer support regarding queer-centric issues (eg. sexual health, transitioning, religion, race, gender-expression, etc.).

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Patrick Power Library

The Patrick Power Library is proud to offer a wealth of resources that support learning, reflection, and celebration during Pride:

• Pride Booklist – Explore a curated collection of books for Pride via our online collection. All books can be borrowed with your SMU ID card, or accessed online using your SMU email and password.  

• 2SLGBTQ+ Community Library Guide — Your starting point for academic and community-based resources on 2SLGBTQ+ research topics, featuring suggested journals, search strategies, databases, government information, information about SMU services, and other resources. 

The Library needs your help to decorate for Pride! Visit the activity table in the Patrick Power Library and create an origami butterfly. We want to create a rainbow of butterflies behind the Read with Pride Book Display!  

Related Content

• Pride at SMU online hub: Resources, Events, News and more

• Changing your name and pronouns in email, Banner and Brightspace

• Faculty and staff: use the Email Signature Template to add pronouns to your email signature

• Halifax Pride

• Check the Student Life events calendar for all upcoming events!

Saint Mary’s Art Gallery spotlights two Halifax artists in dreamlike exhibition: Two Pansies

Two Pansies is a vibrant, queer-themed art exhibition by emerging Halifax artists Autumn Star and Shay Donovan at the Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery (until December 7, 2025).

The show transforms the gallery into an immersive, dreamlike domestic space that explores what “home” means for queer people, featuring sculptures, paintings, and a film narrated by two pansy-headed alter egos. Built largely on-site, the installation invites visitors to sit, reflect, and inhabit a world of comfort, whimsy, and chosen family—blending playfulness, ecofeminism, and vulnerability in a celebration of identity and belonging.

Read/listen: What does a home for two pansies look like? (CBC Arts)

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Celebrating Pride Season 2025 at Saint Mary's

Pride is an acknowledgement of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and all other gender identities, such as pansexual and polyamorous). It spotlights the resilience, celebrates the talent, and recognizes the contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Learn more about identities and evolving terminology.

Pride Season at Saint Mary’s is celebrated throughout June and July, recognizing Pride Month in June and the Halifax Pride festival in July. The Pride flag will be flown on campus throughout June.

Visit our online 2SLGBTQIA+ hub for resources at Saint Mary’s and join in supporting and uplifting members of our #SMUcommunity!

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Events

Paint Your Pride!

Tuesday, June 17
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
The Quad outside the O’Donnell-Hennessey Student Centre

Celebrate Pride Month with colour and creativity at an outdoor chalk party! Express yourself through colourful chalk art, make your own custom buttons, enjoy free cake, and wave your Pride flags high. Whether you're coming to create, connect, or just soak up the celebration, this is your space to shine.

Everyone is welcome — come show your true colours!

Paint Your Pride (2023)

Two-Spirit flag drawn in chalk

SMU in the Halifax Pride Parade

Saturday, July 19
12 p.m.
Downtown Halifax

The entire SMU Community is invited to join SMU Alumni and SMUSA in the Halifax Pride Parade. The group will walk the parade route through downtown Halifax and celebrate our Husky Pride! Email alumni@smu.ca to sign up.

Students, alumni, staff and faculty walk in the Halifax Pride Parade (2023)

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Saint Mary’s Pride Collection

The Saint Mary’s Campus Store has Pride merchandise to help you celebrate Pride Season in style!

Available at the Campus Store in the Loyola Academic Building from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and the Bookstore in the Student Centre from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday to Friday or order online.

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Resources

The SMU Pride Society is dedicated to providing a safe space and advocating on behalf of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community at Saint Mary's University to ensure an equitable and just campus. The society embodies an intersectional framework whilst encouraging meaningful conversations and providing peer support regarding queer-centric issues (eg. sexual health, transitioning, religion, race, gender-expression, etc.).

The Pride Centre offers a safe space on campus for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. SMUSA strives to create a welcoming and accepting environment for all. If you are looking for a hang-out spot or a place to study, check out our Pride Centre! Open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Student Centre room 106.

The SMU Student Health Clinic offers letters of readiness for gender-affirming surgery, hormone therapy and more. Dr. Mark Williams is certified by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Visit the Student Health Clinic on the 4th floor of the Student Centre or email student.health@smu.ca for more information.

Derek Voegeli with The Counselling Centre is certified by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and brings extensive knowledge of trans and queer mental health to Saint Mary’s. The Counselling Centre offers free, confidential services to all registered SMU students. Email counselling@smu.ca or visit their webpage for more information.

The SMUSA Extended Health plan includes Gender-Affirming Care (GAC), such as coverage for HRT drug plans, Mental Health Practitioners, and select procedures. To learn more, email healthplan.smusa@smu.ca or visit Health Plan Manager Sarah Bray at the Student Centre, room 522.

The Patrick Power Library is proud to offer a wealth of resources that support learning, reflection, and celebration during Pride:

• Online Book Display – Explore a curated collection of books for Pride, created in collaboration with the SMU Pride Society.

• 2SLGBTQ+ Community Library Guide — Your starting point for academic and community-based resources on 2SLGBTQ+ research topics, featuring suggested journals, search strategies, databases, government information, information about SMU services, and other resources. All books can be borrowed with your SMU ID card, or accessed online using your SMU email and password.  

Academics and research

Dr. Luke Hathaway, Assistant Professor, Department of English Language and Literature

New course highlights queer literature and experience

Laura Flight of The Signal recently spoke with Dr. Luke Hathaway about a new course he introduced in Winter 2025—Queer Lives & Letters.

“More than offering just another literature course, Hathaway’s intention for Queer Lives & Letters was to meet the needs of SMU students in the queer community. Showing up for his students every week was “a vocation of care.” Being an openly trans professor on campus, he says, is a “profession of care.”

“There’s no other class really like it,” said Alex Phillips, one of Hathaway’s students, “where you can talk about queerness in a safe space with other queer people.”

Dr. Hathaway spoke with The Signal about safety and uncertainty for queer and trans people, the importance of queer community-building, history, politics and coming out. Read ‘Queer literature for queer liberation’ by Laura Flight for The Signal.

Dr. Maryam Dilmaghani and Daniel Keays, PhD Candidate

Researchers addressing 2SLGBTQ+ poverty in Canada

Dr. Maryam Dilmaghani, Professor of Economics, is co-directing with Dr. Nick Mulé, Professor of Social Work and Sexuality Studies at York University, a six-year research project aimed at understanding and addressing poverty in 2SLGBTQ+ communities. This national initiative explores sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, age, (dis)Ability, etc. and how they intersect with economic inequality.

“2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Well-being” brings together over 25 academic researchers and 27 community partners to produce high-impact, policy-driven research that drives meaningful change. The project seeks to quantify the extent of 2SLGBTQ+ poverty, identify its root causes, and develop an evidence-based action plan to serve as a resource for governments, non-profits, and businesses committed to creating lasting solutions. Read more.

Recent faculty publications

• Towards a Queer and Trans Ethic of Care in Education: Beyond the Limitations of White, Cisheteropatriarchal, Colonial Care by Bishop Owis, Associate Professor in Women and Gender Studies.

• ‘Why Don’t We Center Abolition in Queer Criminology?’ Crime & Delinquency. Co-authored by Allyn Walker, Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology.

• Ovid and Masculinity in English Renaissance Literature, edited by J. Garrison and Dr. Goran Stanivukovic, Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature. Selected for the Lambda Literary November’s Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books, non-fiction category, 2020.

Recent theses from Women and Gender Studies graduate students

• ‘Queering the translation : unveiling Chinese fansubbed homosexuality in Queer as Folk’, Xin Wen, Oct 21, 2024

• ‘History, Huh: A Post-Modern Study of the Consumption of Queer Romance’, Alo Greening, Aug 24, 2024

•  ‘In The Name Of The Fear, The Shame & The Hegemonic Guilt: A SIRmon From Trans Christian Men To The Church’, Emery Levi Langille, Apr 23, 2024

Read more

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Related Content

• Pride at SMU online hub: Resources, Events, News and more

• Changing your name and pronouns in email, Banner and Brightspace

• Faculty and staff: use the Email Signature Template to add pronouns to your email signature

• Halifax Pride

• Check the Student Life events calendar for all upcoming events!

Addressing 2SLGBTQ+ poverty in Canada

Dr. Maryam Dilmaghani and Daniel Keays, PhD Candidate

Poverty is a significant issue for people who experience social marginalization in Canada. Many two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and other (2SLGBTQ+) individuals face workplace discrimination, housing insecurity, and limited access to supportive social programs.

Dr. Maryam Dilmaghani, a Professor of Economics at Saint Mary’s University, is co-directing with Project Director Dr. Nick Mulé, Professor of Social Work and Sexuality Studies at York University, a six-year research project aimed at understanding and addressing poverty in 2SLGBTQ+ communities. This national initiative explores sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, age, (dis)Ability, etc. and how they intersect with economic inequality.

“2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Well-being” brings together over 25 academic researchers and 27 community partners, to produce high-impact, policy-driven research that drives meaningful change. The project seeks to quantify the extent of 2SLGBTQ+ poverty, identify its root causes, and develop an evidence-based action plan to serve as a resource for governments, non-profits, and businesses committed to creating lasting solutions.

A key partner in this initiative is the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC), a national non-profit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people of diverse sexualities and genders. Together, they aim to close a critical gap in anti-poverty research.

“Addressing the intersection of poverty and marginalization is critical for our communities,” said Michael Kwag, Executive Director of CBRC. “This initiative amplifies community voices and shared experiences, helping us better understand systemic disparities, advocate for more equitable policies, and improve health outcomes.”

With this research underway, policymakers and organizations will have the data needed to take meaningful action toward reducing 2SLGBTQ+ poverty.

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The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) at Saint Mary’s University facilitates research partnerships between the University and companies, government departments and community organizations. OICE is the initial point of contact for faculty members and external partners wishing to collaborate. The office assists with finding suitable expertise, contract development and advising on funding opportunities.

This project highlight is from the 2025 OICE Report, which features researchers from Saint Mary's University and their external partners.

An exploration of Indigenous history, perspectives and culture through the Saint Mary’s lens

June was National Indigenous History Month (NIHM). At Saint Mary’s, we are committed to a campus and community that acknowledges, respects and values the contributions of Indigenous peoples, both within the Saint Mary’s community and the broader provincial landscape. NIHM reminds us to take time to learn and engage in respectful and productive discussions to explore where we have come from and how we move forward together as Treaty people.  

Outlined by the Government of Canada, each week of NIHM highlighted a different theme related to aspects of Indigenous ways of knowing and being: environment, traditional knowledge and territory; children and youth; languages, cultures and arts; and women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. These themes are an excellent starting point in exploring Indigenous history, perspectives and culture through the Saint Mary’s lens.  

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Week 1: Environment, Traditional knowledge and territory

Many within our SMU community are familiar with the land acknowledgement and our place in Mi’kma’ki. However, it’s important for us to understand its historical context, significance and meaning.  

Mi’kma’ki is made up of seven districts that span all of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, as well as large areas of New Brunswick, the Gaspé Peninsula and Newfoundland. The districts include Epekwitk aq Piktuk, Ktaqmkuk, Unama’kik, Skikewa’kik, Kespukwitk, Siknikt, Kespe’k and Sɨpekne'katik.  

The Mi’kmaq are among the original inhabitants of the Atlantic region in Canada and have occupied their traditional territory since time immemorial. Archaeological evidence and oral history indicate a Mi’kmaq presence in this territory for more than 10,000 years, long before English settlers arrived in the mid-1700s. 

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Week 2: Children and Youth

In Indigenous cultures, elders are the ones who hold knowledge, passing down information throughout generations. Nujikina’muet (someone who teaches) often use storytelling to pass down history, life lessons, sharing of experiences and guidance. Teaching is also done through kina’masuti (instruction), which is the method of passing on knowledge through hands-on learning and demonstration.

Lauryn Mason

With more than 6000 students pursuing their education here, Saint Mary’s University is focused on the academic growth, well-being and success of youth. Fostering the kekina’masuti (learning) of Indigenous students, like fourth-year student Lauryn Mason, supports opportunities for personal growth and developmental experiences as well as future readiness.

Lauryn is from Sackville, Nova Scotia; however, her family comes from Odawa M’nis (Manitoulin Island). Working to complete her Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry, Lauryn recently defended her honours thesis entitled, An investigation of the applications of localization delocalization matrices on the prediction of reaction characteristics, which now resides in the Patrick Power Library. “Successfully defending my Honours thesis and having it submitted to the library is one of my proudest moments here at SMU,” reflects Lauryn.

While Lauryn prepares to close one chapter of her learning, she is already looking toward the next one as she is in the early stages of exploring the possibility of starting a Masters of Applied Science, where she may focus on working with small molecules here at Saint Mary’s.

In considering the future of Indigenous students at Saint Mary’s, Lauryn notes, “I think that Indigenous people are really strong, and there are more and more opportunities for Indigenous students every year. I think that these two factors combine to make a really bright image of the future for Indigenous scholars and academics.”

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Week 3: Languages, Cultures and Arts

At Saint Mary’s, you will find a number of ways that Indigenous culture is reflected in the institution.

The Patrick Power Library is host to the Mi’kmaq Cultural Materials Display as part of an ongoing collaboration with the Nova Scotia Museum, the Indigenous Student Advising Office and the Indigenous Students’ Society.

Found on the main floor of the Library, the display includes beaver incisors for carving and woodworking, fragments of pottery, an axe head and other artifacts. This collection is accompanied by a selection of books written by indigenous authors, and books about indigenous cultures.

Around campus, you will also find a couple of pewitekemkewey (dream catchers). The main foyer of the O'Donnell Hennessey Student Centre and the Patrick Power Library are the home to these beautiful pieces. These pewitekemkewey were created by former SMU student Isaiah Bernard and his father, Wilbert Marshall, of Potlotek First Nation, in 2020.

Isaiah notes that the dream catcher originates from the Ojibwe nation. The design of the dream catcher mirrors that of the spider’s web, catching our bad dreams while allowing our good dreams to pass through as we sleep.

He shares the story of “a grandmother [who] patiently watched each day as a spider spun his web above her sleeping place until one day her grandson noticed the spider and tried to kill it.

“Don’t hurt him,” she told the boy in a soft tone, surprising him.

“But grandmother, you should not protect this spider.”

When the grandson left, the spider thanked the woman for her protection and offered her a gift. “I will spin you a web that hangs between you and the moon so that when you dream, it will snare the bad thoughts and keep them from you.”

At this, the grandmother smiled and continued to watch the spider spin his web.”

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Week 4: Women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people

In 2023, Student Affairs and Services hosted the inaugural Paint Your Pride event, where the SMU community was invited to draw pride-centric chalk images in the Quad outside of the Student Centre. Among other things, the event gave the community a unique opportunity to explore the breakdown of the 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym and explore the associated flags that represent the many different identification components within the queer community.

During the Paint Your Pride 2023 event, Kyle Cook, then interim Indigenous Student Advisor, took the opportunity to sketch the flag as part of the chalk mural.

According to the Wabanaki Two Spirit Alliance (W2SA), the ”2S” in the acronym represents “two-spirit”, which is an umbrella term that encompasses Indigenous people “who demonstrate their identity primarily through culture and spirituality. They have emotional and sexual relationships with the same gender.”

The two-spirit flag depicts a rainbow with two feathers coming down from a circle. The feathers represent male and female, while the circle represents unification of masculine and feminine, reflecting dual spirit which transcends traditional gender roles.

As noted by John R. Sylliboy, co-founder of the W2SA, there is a “lack of ancestral knowledge or research about this concept in Mi’kmaq,” and the common Mi’kmaw term turning up in research is used in negative connotation. Instead, in his article Using L’nuwey Worldview to Conceptualize Two-spirit, John borrows from other Indigenous cultures for two-spirit concepts.

In exploring the final week’s theme, we cannot ignore the harsh truths of gender-based violence, hatred and systemic racism and oppression that significantly impact women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Sensitive subject matter notice re: missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. If you need immediate emotional assistance, call 1-844-413-6649.

In its 2019 report, The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMWG) concluded that “persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA people.”

The National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two Spirit People, also known as Red Dress Day, is commemorated annually on October 4. In 2022, a Red Dress display was installed in the windows of the Patrick Power Library in collaboration with the Indigenous Student Advisor and the Indigenous Students’ Society. The dresses symbolize and honour the women, girls and Two-Spirit people who are missing and murdered.

Red Dress display in the Patrick Power Library

The 2SLGBTQIA+ Sub-Working Group published a MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ National Action Plan which, alongside the history and data, notes the resiliency and resurgence for two-spirit people and reimagining the possibility of a better future.

Since the early 1990s, Indigenous authors, scholars, and educators implemented the term Two-Spirit as a source of resurgence. The report states, “The movement by Two-Spirit People to shift the power of balance back in the hands of Two-Spirit People began by continuously acknowledging their traditional knowledge and cultural teachings as part of the ceremonial circles.”

Much like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the National Action Plan highlights necessary steps in developing a framework towards building change. As Treaty people, we are called to uphold the rights and responsibilities set forth for all of us residing within Mi’kma’ki. By learning the history of the land, people and culture, we can work towards repairing relationships and meaningful reconciliation.

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To learn more about Indigenous community, culture and resources, along with relevant news and upcoming events at Saint Mary’s, visit the Indigenous Community Hub.

Students can connect with the Indigenous Student Advisor, Kylar Johnson, by reaching out to indigenous.advisor@smu.ca.

Pride Season 2024 at Saint Mary's

Pride Season at Saint Mary’s is celebrated throughout June and July, recognizing Pride Month in June and the Halifax Pride festival in July. The pride flag will be flown on campus throughout June.

Pride is an acknowledgement of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, all other gender identities such as asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous). It spotlights the resilience, celebrates the talent and recognizes the contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Learn more about Pride Season and its origins in Canada and visit our online 2SLGBTQIA+ hub for resources at Saint Mary’s.

Join us this Pride Season in supporting and uplifting members of our #SMUcommunity!

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Paint Your Pride!

Tuesday, June 18
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
The Quad outside the O’Donnell-Hennessey Student Centre

Join Student Affairs and Services in the Quad to Paint Your Pride with chalk, play fun lawn games and enjoy snacks to celebrate Pride Month alongside your peers, staff and faculty!

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Pride-Themed Movie Night

Wednesday, June 26
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Atrium 101

The Student Success Centre is hosting a Pride-themed Movie Night! Celebrate Pride with the Peer Success Coaches and a classic movie. We’ve got a few great movie choices, and you can cast your vote when you register. Blankets will be provided. Bring a friend!

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SMU in the Halifax Pride Parade

The entire SMU Community is invited to join SMU Alumni and SMUSA in the Halifax Pride Parade on Saturday, July 20 at 12 p.m. The group will walk the parade route and celebrate our Husky Pride!

Sign up here

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SMUSA Pride Centre

Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Located in the O’Donnell Hennessey Student Centre, SC 106

The Pride Centre offers a safe space for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. SMUSA strives to create more events and resources for students within this community on campus and wants to create a welcoming and accepting environment for all. If you are looking for a hang-out spot or place to study, check out our pride centre!

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Mental health support for queer and trans students

Students who are part of the queer and trans community may have unique experiences that impact their mental health. Sometimes, it can be easier to speak with someone who has similar experiences—enter our newest therapist in the Counselling Centre, Derek!

Derek is World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) trained and brings extensive knowledge of trans and queer mental health to the team, as well as the ability to write WPATH assessment and surgery letters for Trans Affirmative Healthcare.

Request an appointment with the Counselling Centre.

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Saint Mary’s Pride Collection

The Saint Mary’s Campus Store has Pride merchandise to help you celebrate Pride Season in style!

Available at the Campus Store in the Loyola Academic Building from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and the Bookstore in the Student Centre from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday to Friday or order online.

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Check the Student Life events calendar for all upcoming events!

Related Content

• Student experience: safe space and gay allyship at SMU

• Changing your name and pronouns in email and Brightspace

• Faculty and staff: use the Email Signature Template to add pronouns to your email signature

Meet our 2SLGBTQIA+ and Accessibility Wellness Ambassadors

Did you know that you can access peer-based mental health support through the Counselling Centre? Along with professional counselling services, they offer drop-in peer supports, bi-weekly art and mental health programming, programs geared toward specific communities and more!

Two of the Counselling Centre's student staff this year 2SLGBTQIA+ Wellness Ambassador Jo (Left), and their Accessibility Wellness Ambassador Zoë (Right). Wellness Ambassadors coordinate wellness-based social programs for members of their communities. Jo hosts bi-weekly Queer Board Games Nights and monthly Trans Student Drop-Ins. Zoë works as a part of the Counselling Centre and Fred Smithers Centre offering social programs to students who are part of the blind, deaf, disabled and neurodivergent communities. All students are welcome to attend events and learn about their work.

Jo and Zoë both have training to offer one-on-one peer support. Want to set up a chat with one of them? Send them an email and learn more about what they do on the The Counselling Centre's Peer Support Page.

Jo McKenzie (they/them), 2SLGBTQIA+ Wellness Ambassador
2SLGBTQ.Wellness@smu.ca

Zoë MacDonald (she/her), Accessibility Wellness Ambassador
Accessibility.Wellness@smu.ca.

New Self-Service Banner 9 features will simplify name changes, self-identification

Enrolment Services is proud to share that the Student Systems and Strategic Projects team has taken steps to improve and enhance Self-Service Banner 9 (SSB9) as it pertains to personal autonomy, including name changes and self-identification.

The Studio for Teaching and Learning (The Studio) has developed an excellent instructional resource that reflects SSB9’s new capabilities. The previous process of submitting a preferred name change form is no longer required. Please refer to the Preferred Name Change Guide found on The Studio site or access it through the Resources section of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Hub for instructions.

We are also pleased to announce that further upgrades are happening this term, including:

1.    Confidential and voluntary self-identification opportunities

Having a more fulsome view and understanding of our dynamic community will allow Saint Mary’s to better support and further an equitable, diverse and inclusive institution. Self-identification opportunities are confidential and completely voluntary. Data reports will focus on big-picture snapshots of populations and will not identify individuals. These reports will help drive initiatives, strategies and systems that better reflect and serve Saint Mary's students.

2.    Gender identification opportunities

In offering students an opportunity to identify with a gender descriptor, Saint Mary’s will be better able to provide services, enhance interactions and support consistencies in how we engage with students. Gender identification will be a voluntary option for students using Self-Service Banner. As we capture data on population representations, Saint Mary’s will be in a position to improve its awareness and continue strengthening a community of belonging.

We look forward to launching these enhanced capabilities this fall. We welcome feedback and questions; please connect with Enrolment Services via registrar@smu.ca.

Saint Mary’s launches 2SLGBTQIA+ digital community hub

Saint Mary’s is thrilled to announce the launch of the 2SLGBTQIA+ digital community hub!

The 2SLGBTQIA+ Hub was developed to address a gap in readily accessible and easily navigable resources, supports and information of interest for an important population within the SMU community.

The digital hub was developed primarily by members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who sought out a wide variety of community consultation, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, alongside those who offer services and courses that may be directly or indirectly connected with the community. Feedback through community consultation was a priority and updates and revisions were made based on the insights received.

The digital community hub is where you can find news and events for and about SMU’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community, information about support services and spaces on campus, and updates during Pride season. It’s designed to continue evolving and growing, with the SMU community offering contributions as new information, programming and resources are developed.

Have feedback or questions? Contact student.services@smu.ca. We'd love to hear from you!

SMU community shows Pride love at Paint Your Pride event

Group of people standing in Saint Mary's University Quad in front of colourful chalk rainbow and chalk sign reading Paint Your Pride 2023

Pride flags depicting different 2SLGBTQIA+ identities are strung between two trees.

Group of people visiting Pride information table.

Kyle Cook, Indigenous Student Advisor, drawing two-spirit pride flag in chalk.

Group of people visiting Pride activity tables in Saint Marys Quad.

Saint Mary's Quad featuring several Pride activity tables along edge of grass and colorful chalk drawings on cobblestone path.

Bookstore staff member stands in front of Pride apparel table.

Hanna Sakaki, Alumni Assistant, smiles while making a chalk drawing of different coloured hearts on the Quad pathway.

Ken Cornell, SMU student, sits on the Quad pathway next to a chalk heart drawn in genderfluid pride colours.

Two students draw a Spiderman image in chalk.

On June 20, Student Affairs and Services (SAAS) hosted a Paint Your Pride event to kick off the 2023 Pride Season at SMU.

Taking place in the Quad, Paint Your Pride brought students, faculty, staff and even Halifax locals together to celebrate Pride Month and create a beautiful rainbow chalk mural. The event also boasted activities including a make-your-own Pride pin station, lawn games, cake and popcorn treats, an info table breaking down the various 2SLGBTQIA+ pride flags and highlighting community resources, and a pop-up Pride merch table from the SMU Bookstore.

During the event, Welcome Activities Coordinator, Toky Tajwar and Student Life Coordinator, Liv Brennan asked attendees what Pride means to them. Dee Dooley, Sexual Violence Advisor described Pride as “community and liberation” while Peer Success coach, Michael Rumsby felt Pride to mean “loving and accepting everybody for who they are.” Members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and allies joined together with resounding messages of love, acceptance and community resounding in the beautiful artwork created.

Paint Your Pride was just one of several Pride initiatives that SMU is involved in this year. In addition to several Pride events, SAAS has undertaken a project to develop a 2SLGBTQIA+ Community webpage to be launched this summer. The initiative, prominently developed by members of the queer community, will create a digital hub of pan-campus resources, groups, committees and societies, as well as news and upcoming events.

Related:

• Celebrating Pride at Saint Mary’s University.

• Student perspective: experiencing Pride at Saint Mary’s

• Student experience: safe space and gay allyship at SMU

Student experience: safe space and gay allyship at SMU

Ken Cornell stands in the Saint Mary’s Quad in front of a line of rainbow flags depicting the various 2SLGBTQIA+ identities.

When Ken Cornell began exploring universities, gay allyship and resources were not a factor of consideration. So, when Cornell arrived at Saint Mary’s, it was a welcome surprise to discover not only safe space and community but also resources that supported them, especially in the early days of their self-discovery and journey as a gay, genderfluid person.

Cornell sits in the Quad in front of a chalk heart depicting the genderfluid rainbow.

Cornell is a student in the Intercultural Studies Program, going into their fifth and final year at Saint Mary’s who currently works as the Training Module Developer for Residence Life. “When I first came to SMU I was just starting to come out as a lesbian and I hadn’t quite identified the gender issue yet,” explains Cornell. “I discovered SMU Q [newly established as the SMU Pride Society] at my first society expo and immediately found safe space and people that made me feel completely at home.”

Having such a positive and welcoming experience at SMU made Cornell want to get involved and help others. “I worked as a Residence Advisor (RA) and was able to support others in their self-discovery and journey in coming out,” highlights Cornell.

They also got involved in the RainBEAU committee in Residence Life and “was able to give a presentation on gender identity, and, specifically, genderfluidity, which isn’t as commonly discussed or understood.” Cornell elaborates that genderfluidity is a term under the trans umbrella, where a person does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

“How I view my gender and how I express it varies and changes, similar to a colour slider. How I carry myself, style my hair, dress and even talk depends on where I am on my gender slider at that time.”

In reflecting on Pride season, Cornell describes it as a complex issue for them. “We’re starting to see the growing anti-LGBT hate from the States spreading into Canada,” asserts Cornell. “Pride will always have an element of push-back to it, so to have a recognized and respected institute like SMU acknowledge Pride, telling us there is safe space here is a huge deal for our community.”

To members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, especially newcomers to SMU, Cornell suggests getting involved as much as possible to help find support and make friends in the community. “We have lots of events coming up this year,” details Cornell. “Pride season kicked off with Paint Your Pride, where the SMU community gathered to create a Pride chalk mural in the Quad. In July, Residence Life will be hosting a Dye-versity night where we’ll be tie-dying shirts and there will be a SMU float in the Halifax Pride Parade during Halifax Pride Festival.”

Visit Celebrating Pride at SMU to learn about 2SLGBTQI+ resources and upcoming events.

Student perspective: experiencing Pride at Saint Mary’s

June is the kick-off month for Pride Season, a time to honour the celebration of love and acceptance dedicated to celebration and commemoration of two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), intersexual, asexual (2SLGBTQI+) pride.

At Saint Mary’s, we strive to create a welcoming, respectful and supportive environment for our entire community. For many, SMU has become a home away from home, and we endeavour to ensure there is safe space for self-discovery and to experience joy in community. 

Liv Brennan

Liv Brennan (she/her) is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Geology, who is currently working as the Student Life Coordinator for the Student Success Centre (SSC). SMU’s initiatives in allyship and creating safe space were an important factor in Brennan’s decision to work in the SSC.

“Previously I worked in Residence Life and have been involved in the RainBEAU Committee as well as the Pride Society, so I knew there would be support for me as an LGBTQI+ person,” says Brennan. “My experience at SMU has always been positive and my colleagues have always been supportive—it makes me proud to work here.” 

Being involved with 2SLGBTQI+ initiatives on campus has been an empowering part of Brennan’s experience at Saint Mary’s University. “It means a lot to me to see SMU acknowledging Pride Month,” explains Brennan. “It’s a great opportunity for our community to feel a sense of belonging and it enhances our sense of pride in who we are.” 

Within her role as Student Life Coordinator, Brennan is supporting initiatives to celebrate Pride Season. Alongside her team, Brennan is excited to host a SAAS pride event on June 20, called Paint Your Pride, inviting the entire SMU community to create a large chalk mural in the Quad. She is also helping to develop a 2SLGBTQ+ community resource hub for SMU.ca.

“For me, it’s about community and making the world a better place for 2SLGBTQIA+ people.”

“There are all kinds of resources available at SMU for our community,” notes Brennan. “In addition to the RainBeau Committee and the Pride Society, we have the SMUSA Pride Centre and the SMUSA Women’s Centre, both on the 5th floor of the Student Centre. There are also health and wellness resources through the Student Health Clinic, Counselling Centre and the Sexual Violence Support Centre.” 

When asked what World Pride Month means to Brennan, she highlighted how her journey as a bisexual woman has strengthened her passion for helping create a sense of belonging. “For me, it’s about community and making the world a better place for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Pride Season gives us a chance to amplify our messages of love and tolerance and acknowledge those who helped pave the way for us and those who carry on the important work for our community.” 

Brennan is thrilled to be a part of this year’s Pride initiatives at SMU. “It’s so important to give our voices a platform,” she notes. “Hearing from people at SMU who are going about their lives, whether they’re working or studying here, really enhances that sense of community on campus. Knowing that SMU wants to share our stories reinforces that we belong here and that we don’t stand alone.” 

Visit Celebrating Pride at Saint Mary’s to learn more about initiatives and resources at SMU.