The Principal’s 2020 Declaration of Commitment to Address Systemic Racism included a pledge to “eliminate gaps in support and resources for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff and faculty,” and thus, one of those impressively long committee names was born, The Principal’s Action Group for Gender and Sexual Diversity (PAGGAS).
A quick disclaimer: I anticipate I’ll be saying “last year I wrote … ” quite often now. Unlike most student leadership roles, the Rector term can stretch up to 3 years, which means I get the privilege of showing up again, with some more experience and therefore hopefully a deeper insight.
So, last Pride month, I painted a broad stroke picture of navigating activism at Queen’s. I’d like you to zoom in with me and take a finer look at one example of action: PAGGAS. PAGGAS is now embedded in the Vice Principal (Culture, Equity, Inclusion) portfolio and does what many of us do at Queen’s; tries to make sense of institutional spaghetti. Who owns what? Who can change it? Where can we push, or pull, or gently unthread a system so something better can grow?
One example of this is their work understanding washrooms and changing rooms on campus—seemingly mundane, deeply meaningful. PAGGAS made recommendations to ensure everyone can feel dignified on campus with affirming and accessible spaces for all identities.
Now, they’re checking in with the process on the ground and providing further support. There’s no way even the most well-rounded committee composition could ever fully show up and rely on their own experiences. PAGGAS is made up of committee members from across the university, and some interact with students daily. The Yellow House and SHIFT Project staff are perfectly positioned to hear you out and inform the committee of your story.
Systemic change is a long and drawn-out process with many bureaucratic hoops. To quote my mother from one of her pep talks, “You might not be the person to make it over the finish line, but you are starting it.” A perfect example of this is the then-student government leaders who proposed a student led spinoff—SAGGAS—to bring more student voices and 2SLGBTQIA+ representation. They graduated before much of this work was realized, but our community is better for it now.
At your service,
Niki
Tags
PAGGAS, Pride 2025, Rector's Digest, Shift Project, Yellow House
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