You’ve heard of them around campus, but who exactly are the Pride Collective? They’re a constituency of the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS), focused on bringing gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, two-spirited and queer (LGBT2Q) students and community members together. The collective also runs the Pride Lounge, a cozy space tucked away in the Richmond House on the Lansdowne campus that acts as a collective meeting place for queer students, and a hang-out space for all queer-positive students.
CCSS pride director Piotr Burek says it’s important for students to be engaged in community issues, and the lounge, and the collective in general, is a good way to meet people and get more involved. Burek points to the Olympics or the bill in parliament that’s trying to recognize trans rights as some examples of things happening right now that students are talking about.
“There’s a lot going on, and this is a meeting spot where students who want to participate in discussions can, and its also a place were students can come and find peer support on campus,” says Burek.
The Pride Collective uses the lounge as a way to connect students with resources. There is a library, with books and magazines full of information on queer culture and its history, and Burek works hard to ensure that students are able to find resources and connections to some of the local organizations that work on queer issues and LGBT2Q topics.
The collective also organizes events and workshops on campus, bringing students and outside community together. So far this year they have put on a handful of successful events, including a two-spirit workshop that was facilitated in partnership with the Caring for First Nations Children Society.
“It was an exploration of what two-spirit identity is,” says Burek. “A lot of us didn’t really know much about it, and I think it’s one of those identities that is marginalized within the queer community. It was a great event. We had some bannock, we had a couple of two-spirited members who discussed their identity and what two-spirit means in Canadian colonial context.”
A more recent event put on by the collective was Quinterfest, a social event that took over the ground floor of Richmond House and was successful in bringing together 80 students and community members. The festivities included dancing, hula hooping, and an outdoor chill-out area.
The Pride Collective has plans for more workshops and events in the future.
“We will probably be throwing some form of self-pleasure workshop,” says Burek. “So we are hoping to discuss sex-positivity and how to pleasure yourself with toys and things like that.”
Many students that are not directly involved with the Pride Collective feel that its work, and the lounge, is an important part of campus life.
“It shows that Camosun supports sexual diversity,” says Renee Gaudet, a University Transfer student.” I think it’s important for there to be a comfortable and safe place for people to come together and discuss issues at hand.”
Jake Werrun, a second-year Criminal Justice student, also feels that the collective is helpful in providing support.
“People may have to deal with a lot of negative stigma,” says Werrun. “And it’s good that there is a place that can provide community, help, and resources if they are needed.”