The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) has raised a new, more inclusive version of the Pride flag in front of its headquarters to mark Pride month.
It’s a combination of the traditional rainbow flag and the progressive flag that recognizes people of colour and transgender people, with an addition to include the intersex community.
Board staff gathered in front of the HWDSB offices on Education Court on Thursday afternoon for a flag-raising ceremony, where a number of employees talked about why the new inclusive flag is important.
Mitch Borsc, a trans educator and equity consultant with the board, explained that the components within the chevron on the flag represent the progress that has been made within the LGBTQ2 community.
“On the left-hand side of the flag, we see community members from the two-spirit and LGBTQ communities that have been left historically have been left behind.”
He said it’s important to show support for students who may not be able to speak openly about their identities yet.
“Some of our students are on their journeys to discovering who they are, and they’re not ready to be public-facing. So when we have an opportunity to raise student voice, especially when it’s voice that is joyous and happy and celebratory, we make space to do that in any way possible.”
Darryl Byers, a system social worker with the board, read out an anonymous testimonial from a high school student during the ceremony about the need to celebrate visibility during Pride month at a time when homophobic and transphobic ideologies are becoming more visible.
“This Pride month may be difficult to celebrate due to the growing intolerance towards our identities,” he read.
“However, you deserve to feel and be recognized. I need you to know you have been so strong throughout this. Nobody deserves to be targeted because of their identity. We aren’t going anywhere. We will continue being who we are because who we are is beautiful. They can’t erase us.”
Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini, the HWDSB’s director of education, said this is the first Pride month after the board passed its new human rights policy last fall.
She said it was great to see such a large turnout for Thursday’s ceremony and hoped that flying the flag will make students and staff who are part of the LGBTQ2 community feel represented, even as other school boards in the province choose not to take the same route.
“I’m hoping that we will serve as an inspiration for others who are not yet there. And we know students, they’re exposed to things across the province, so hopefully, if they’re not seeing themselves represented where they are, they are seeing it across the province in different places, including our school board.”
Hamilton marks pride month with flags, rainbow crosswalk
Hamilton joined in on the celebration of pride month by flying a pair of flags atop city hall on Thursday.
Both the progressive Pride flag and the transgender flag are appearing throughout the month of June.
Meanwhile, the traditional rainbow crosswalk on Main Street West and Summers Lane was also unveiled late Thursday afternoon.
The International Village BIA also unveiled its ‘Pride Crosswalk Intersection’ located at King William Street and Ferguson Avenue North.
That install was part of the ‘My Main Street’ program putting nearly $58,000 into the project.
My Main Street is a two-year, $23.25-million government-funded investment through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) supporting support innovation, growth, and job creation.
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