June is Pride Month across Saskatchewan! This month is a time to celebrate two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and pansexual (2SLGBTQIAP+) communities, and recognize the hard work and sacrifices of queer activists who have fought – and are still fighting – for equal rights.

SGEU, led by our Human Rights and Equity Committee, proudly celebrates the contributions of our sexually and gender-diverse members to our union, the workplaces we represent, and the labour movement at home and across the world. We’re dedicated to the fight against hate and discrimination and believe that inclusivity makes our communities stronger.

Since Pride 2021 will still have to look a little different than the parades, workshops, and community events we expect from this month, SGEU has curated a list of five ways to celebrate Pride Month in Saskatchewan:

#1 Attend a socially-distanced or virtual Pride event

There are many virtual options to celebrate Pride in communities across our province:

Queen City Pride Festival - June 4 – 13

Saskatoon Virtual Pride Festival - June 12 – 19

Drag Collective Show Drive-in - several dates across Saskatchewan

Southwest Saskatchewan Pride week - July 10 – 17

#2 Explore Pride’s origins

Pride month is celebrated each June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City on June 28, 1969 — an event that sparked days-long protests and ignited activism that launched the 2SLGBTQIAP+ movement.

The Stonewall Inn is now a national monument in America. Visit Stonewall Forever, a virtual monument created for the 50th anniversary of the riots.

#3 Learn about 2SLGBTQIAP+ history

Many people know modern-day influential 2SLGBTQIAP+ figures like RuPaul, Laverne Cox, and Elliot Page, but fewer people know about the legacies of important organizers like Marsha P. Johnson, Bayard Rustin, and Alan Turing.

Lots of great resources exist about 2SLGBTQIAP+ history, but we suggest you start with this list of 20 2SLGBTQIAP+ figures that have helped shape history, learn about the Pride movement in Canada, and check out the digital exhibits on Arquives, a Canadian 2SLGBTQIAP+ Archive.

#4 Get educated about pronouns

Learning about pronouns is a great way to respect people’s identities and create a more inclusive environment.

Read the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity quick guide to pronouns or check out the 519’s glossary of 2SLGBTQIAP+ terms, an evolving collection of vocabulary terms related to gender expression and identity.

#5 Show your Pride online!

The Canadian Labour Congress has put together a beautiful collection of digital Pride banners you can download and use for online events and social media: