The Progressive Pride flag flies outside Red Deer College this week to kick off Pride Month. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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Pride flag raised once again at Red Deer College

Jun 5, 2021 | 2:10 PM

To mark International Pride Month, the Progressive Pride flag was raised at Red Deer College this week.

The Progressive Pride flag includes the usual rainbow, with a left pointing triangle on the flag’s right side including colours that represent both the transgender and non-binary community, as well as people of colour.

“We are committed to supporting and effectively representing all members of our community while recognizing and celebrating the full spectrum of identities it encompasses. With this recognition and celebration comes the continued need for visibility,” says Shannon Humphrey, RDC Students’ Association Vice President Academic. “The Progressive Pride Flag places greater emphasis on inclusion and progression while also increasing awareness of intersecting and diverse forms of oppression and marginalization. We believe the Progressive Pride Flag is a powerful representation encompassing all identities and we are proud to adopt it on our campus. This initiative upholds our dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion at our institution.”

This year’s ceremony also took on added meaning despite fewer people attending due to COVID-19.

“Today’s ceremony is about celebrating identity and shared stories,” says Humphrey. “With a vision toward reconciliation, we all felt it was important to host today’s flag raising ceremony with the intention to acknowledge the intersectionality and challenges faced in society by Indigenous People and people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+.”

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The flag is currently being flown at half-mast in honour of the 215 graves of children found at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C. last week.

As additional ways in which RDC will celebrate and recognize diversity:

• a Pride crosswalk located outside RDC’s Arts Centre will soon be refreshed with a new coat of paint and enhanced to represent the Progressive Pride Flag

• during evenings, the Gary W. Harris Canada Games will display orange lighting along its rooffrom now through June 8 (in recognition of the victims of the Kamloops residential school). On June 21, the Centre will be lit in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day. The Centre will be lit with Pride colours for the duration of the month

• the College is also pleased to be among the locations of a Pride car parade route being organized by the Red Deer Queer Community Association on Saturday, June 5

“We value our diverse and vibrant community of students, faculty and staff, including Indigenous learners and those who identify as LGBTQIA2S+,” says Kylie Thomas, Vice President, Academic and Research at RDC. “This ceremony was valuable for us to come together as a College community. The Progressive Pride Flag flying on our campus is one symbol that we are proud to display as it represents our ongoing commitment to a safe and respectful teaching, learning and working environment where all people feel supported.”

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Pride flag raised once again at Red Deer College

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