Surrey and White Rock schools celebrate Pride Month through June
June is Pride Month, and students and staff across the district have been participating in numerous LGBTQ2S+ events and initiatives to promote inclusivity and welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, identities and orientations.
Pride is an opportunity to highlight the diversity of students and staff in the district and emphasize the importance of acceptance through SOGI-inclusive education and safe spaces for members of the LGBTQ2S+ community in schools.
This month, a number of schools have held various events:
- During the first week of June, the Clayton Heights Secondary SOGI Club showed their pride by drawing with sidewalk chalk, giving out friendship bracelets and serving rainbow cereal for breakfast. The week culminated with a schoolwide Pride Parade, with students encouraged to wear rainbow coloured clothing.
- The Frank Hurt Secondary Student Council encouraged students to wear pride colours to support the LGBTQ2S+ community, based on flags for all kinds of pride (from left in the above link): lesbian pride, pansexuality, asexuality, pride (rainbow), aromantic, transgender and non-binary.
- The Surrey Centre Elementary Diversity Club hosted a button sale after school to celebrate diversity, with money going towards the school’s fund for an accessible playground.
While Pride is centred on the month of June, students and staff make efforts throughout the year to support LGBTQ2S+ inclusivity. The district’s Racial Equity department’s Equity, Diversity & Belonging Calendar highlights observances such as LGBTQ2S+ History Month (October), the Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31) and the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (May 17).
Earlier this month, the district once again co-hosted its Youth Pride Dance, in partnership with the City of Surrey and Youth for a Change. Held at the Newton Seniors Centre, the dance provided an opportunity for youth aged 13-18 to have fun and express themselves freely.
The fourth annual Pride Poster Contest was also held this spring, with nearly 100 elementary and secondary students submitting their colourful creations on the theme Stand Up, Speak Up.
Past projects have included WRAP students painted their second shipping container mural promoting inclusivity, with symbols of Pride such as the rainbow flag serving to show unity and equality in the artwork. Similarly, the road outside Peace Arch Elementary got a little brighter last fall as the school unveiled its rainbow crosswalk, displaying the community’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity and respect.
The district’s Protecting Surrey Schools Together (PSST) and Surrey Schools One websites continue to have numerous SOGI resources for students, parents and staff.
Surrey Schools also participated in this year’s Surrey Pride Festival this past Saturday (June 22nd), and will take part in the Vancouver Pride Parade on Sunday, Aug. 4, with staff invited to sign up to walk in the parade. For more information on both events, visit surreypride.ca and vancouverpride.ca
