🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride🏳️‍🌈

June is Pride Month at the TDSB! Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate diversity and raise awareness amongst all staff and students about the rich and varied intersecting identities, cultures and histories of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Gledhill will have its own Pride Parade this afternoon!

Pride is a time for TDSB students, staff, and families to continue learning about Queer history, joy, excellence, and resilience; it is a time to celebrate the diversity that exists in every school community across the TDSB. It is also an opportunity to highlight the varied issues related to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities as well as the impact of homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia on TDSB students, staff, and community members. 

Queer and Trans Pride center Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual and agender (2SLGBTQIA+) people through the celebratory affirmation of their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The movement has three main premises:

• People should be proud of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression
• Diversity is a gift, and
• Sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. 

The abbreviated Gay Pride and Pride have since become mainstream and shorthand expressions inclusive of all individuals in various 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The modern “Pride” movement began after the “Stonewall Uprising” in 1969. Instead of backing down to unconstitutional raids by New York Police, drag queens and queer street kids protested, resisted, and stood up for themselves. While it was a violent situation, it gave the underground community the first sense of communal pride in a well-publicized incident.

From the yearly parade that commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall protests began a national grassroots movement. Today, many countries around the world celebrate pride.

In Toronto, the first “Gay Day Picnic” held at Hanlan’s Point in 1971 was a fundraising drive to support community members heading to Ottawa to raise awareness. In 1978, Toronto had its first Pride Day at Cawthra Park, and by 1986, more than 10,000 people had celebrated Pride Day at Cawthra Park under the theme of “Forward Together.” 

Since its inception in 1981, the first Pride Parade in Toronto, the Pride movement has furthered the cause of queer and trans rights by lobbying politicians, registering voters, and increasing visibility to educate on issues important to queer and trans communities. The Pride Movement advocates for equality, human rights, protection from discrimination and violence, respect and dignity for people of all genders and sexual identities. 

The Urban Indigenous Education Centre, TDSB Gender & Sexual Diversity Team, TDSB GSA Network, TDSB Professional Support Services, TDSB Human Rights Office, the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement and the Equity, Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression Team encourage everyone to have a safe and celebratory Pride! Staff are encouraged to use the curriculum resources below to educate and promote equity for diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. 

We look forward to celebrating Pride 2026 all month with all our 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff, and allies!