Pride Week started Monday, revising past events like drag and fat activism workshops.
“We didn’t want to have just speakers because everyone goes to lecture every day,” co-ordinator Amanda Djurickovic said.
She added that the background, sexual identity or gender of students shouldn’t stop them from partaking.
“I think everyone can learn something from the week,” Djurickovic, PheKin ’14, said. “There are just so many different topics and workshops, regardless of who you are.”
Fourteen Pride Week events included a film screening of For the Bible Tells Me So — a 2007 documentary about the intersection of homosexuality and religion in the U.S.
On March 12, Beckham Ronaghan was the recipient of the Positive Space Award at a Pride Week event. The award is given to a Queen’s student who demonstrates leadership in promoting sexual and gender diversity on campus.
While there were seven nominees, the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) and the Human Rights Office awarded Ronaghan with a plaque and $500 cheque, donated by OPIRG.
Ronaghan said through his work he hopes to extend dialogue on gender- and sexuality-based issues.
“The dialogue is keeping people aware of the issues,” Ronaghan said.
Ronaghan was recognized specifically for his role as the director of Down There, a revamped version of the theatre productions Vagina Monologues and Revulvalutions.
He also founded ThinQ, a workshop run in residence to educate first years on issues of sexual and gender diversity.
“To me, sexual and gender diversity is not making the assumption that everyone is either gay or straight, male or female,” he said. “It’s recognizing that gender and sexuality is a spectrum.” Ronaghan said despite being presented with this award, his work is not done.
“I do it because I’m frustrated when I, as a trans-identified person, am discriminated against or when I see other queer-trans people discriminated against,” Ronaghan said.
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