Pride flag unveiled

Posted: June 17, 2015 2:00 p.m.

It's a celebration. Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor and Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick, Chair of the University of Regina Faculty Association, unveiled the Pride flag in the Riddell Centre. (Photo courtesy of Trevor Hopkin - U of R Photography)

Calling it a “permament reminder of how inclusive we are,” Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Regina, helped unveil the Pride flag on campus, June 17.

President Timmons officially unveiled the flag in the Riddell Centre, alongside Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick, Chair of the University of Regina Faculty Association.

“The Pride flag will remain as a permanent display,” President Timmons announced to a crowd gathered for the ceremony.

The ceremony was held in conjunction with Regina’s Queen City Pride week - an annual, week-long celebration of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer) community of Regina and the greater region of Southern Saskatchewan. President Timmons and other members of the campus community will be taking part in many of the week-long events.

“In all of our activities, we strive to ensure that our University community is one that celebrates diversity and welcomes peoples of all backgrounds, orientation and identities,” says President Timmons. “Our campus and our broader community are enriched by the many different voices that make up society, and I am pleased to walk in the Queen City Pride parade in support of equality and inclusivity.”

President Timmons will walk alongside members of Camp fYrefly. The camp is an annual retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirit, intersexed, queer and allied youth between the ages of 14-24.

"Camp fYrefly and fYrefly in Schools is proud President Timmons is marching with us in the Pride Parade,” says Dr. James McNinch, a volunteer and member of the board of directors of Camp fYrefly. He’s also a Professor in the Faculty of Education. The University of Regina and President Timmons have supported fYrefly for the past eight years as it seeks to make the world a better place for sexual and gender minority youth."

The festival features a series of events, organized by Regina Pride and other community organizations.

The festivities started June 14.  The parade happens Saturday, June 20 at noon. 
 
“Institutions of higher education are where many of the essential discussions that led to changes for LGBTQ rights, inclusion, and equality originate, whether issues of psychology, biology, evolution, social or legal status,” says Phil Ollenberg, Queen City Pride Sponsorship Director.

“Like all pride festivals, Queen City Pride owes a great deal of our success to the support of allies, partners, and educators outside the LGBTQ spectrum who have championed these causes for countless generations.”

The University of Regina has on campus the UR Pride Centre and  provides services and programming for the University of Regina, City of Regina and on request, southern Saskatchewan. Some of the services UR Pride provides are confidential peer support and referrals, workshops and lectures, youth programming, and publications.