Pride 2025 at McMaster: Events and Resources

June is Pride Month, a time to recognize and honour every individual’s right to equality, and to celebrate the richness that 2SLGBTQ+ individuals bring to the McMaster communities!

The Pride flag will be raised at McMaster all month as a reminder that whether you are 2SLGBTQIA+, gender questioning or unsure, you belong here, and the university community celebrates you year-round. 

Below is a list of campus and community events, organizations and resources to celebrate and support the diverse individuals who enrich our community.

Important Events:

June 10 | Virtual lunchtime speaker session

The Faculty of Health Sciences Equity and Inclusion Office is hosting a virtual lunchtime session with speaker O.G. Thorne. The event is free; registration is required. 

Language Matters: Findings from the Redefining Sexual and Reproductie Health Study (REDEFINE) will introduce a patient-centred framework to support inclusive, equitable care for two-spirit, trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse patients regarding gender inclusive language within sexual and reproductive health. 

• Date: Tuesday, June 10 
• Time: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. 
• Please click here to register for this free virtual event 
• Click here for more information 

June 24 | All In: Exploring Inclusive Solidarity in 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities

• Alexis-Carlota Cochrane (She/They), PhD candidate and sessional instructor in the Department of Communication Studies and Media Arts & digital scholarship coordinator at the Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship
• Darran A. Fernandez (He/Him), McMaster’s University Registrar
• Katherine Hesson-Bolton (She/They), Manager Talent Partnerships and Employer Relations, Career and Employment
• Jeff Black, PhD Candidate for School of Social Work & Sessional Instructor

Important information:

• Date: Tuesday, June 24   
• Time: 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.  
• Location: Microsoft Teams Webinar
• To register: Please click here to sign up for this free virtual event  

June 25 | PrideAtMac ERG Launch Event for McMaster Faculty and Staff 

Human Resources Services, in partnership with the Equity and Inclusion Office, is excited to support the launch of a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) for 2SLGBTQIA+ faculty and staff.   

PrideAtMac ERG membership is open to any McMaster employee who is a member of the queer community, or who is an ally or critical advocate to the community in their participation in this ERG. 

This includes but is not limited to those who are: lesbian, gay, bisexual / pansexual, trans, queer, asexual, two-spirit, intersex, questioning, and allies of the 2S & LGBTQIA+ communities.  

PrideAtMac ERG members are not required to disclose how they identify.  

Employee Resource Groups are employee-led groups based on shared identities/interests, providing meaningful engagement and support for diverse community members. 

• Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 
• Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. 
• Location: Specific details will be shared with registered participants in advance of the event.  
• Registration: Registration is requested for planning purposes only. Please register here by June 13, 2025.  
• For more information or if you have questions, please email Ayo Osinowo, employment equity consultant.    

Organizations and resources

Click here for the Student Wellness Centre’s resource page for people who are a part of or looking to support someone who is a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

MSU Pride Community Centre, or PCC is a student-led, peer support service provided by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) specifically for students who identify as part of the 2STLGBQIA+ community. In addition to providing confidential peer support, the PCC provides educational programming and advocates to challenge attitudes and norms that oppress the 2STLGBQIA+ population, helping establish a safe(r) space for Queer folx on campus and in the GTHA. Click here to follow them on Instagram. 

LGBT Youth Line provides service for youth, by youth that affirms the experiences and aspirations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, 2-spirited, queer and questioning youth in Ontario. Get in touch with a peer support volunteer Sunday to Friday 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. via phone, chat or text services. Phone: 1-800-268-9688 | Text: 647-694-4275 

Good2Talk is a free, confidential and anonymous helpline providing professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being to post-secondary students in Ontario, 24/7/365. Good2Talk serves students at Ontario’s publicly-funded colleges and universities, with a primary focus on those aged 17-25. Phone: 1-866-925-5454 

Speqtrum Hamilton is a youth-founded, youth-run, and youth-focused skill-sharing and community building program for queer and trans young people in Hamilton. 

Trans Lifeline hotline is a peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers. Phone: 1-877-330-6366 

For information about supports and resources, contact equity@mcmaster.ca. 

More information on Pride

Click here for a synopsis of Pride history or click here for a chronicle of Canadian Pride history. 

What do the letters in LGBTQ2S+ stand for? Click here to find out.