The Carleton Pride Society is a new student club that hosts events and helps in the development of a network for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies. President Aanya Baindur founded the pride society this summer, bringing together a group of “passionate and enthusiastic” executives.
“Our main objective is to create a safe community and have resources available to make [2SLGBTQIA+ student life] more enjoyable and rewarding,” Baindur said. “We host fun events where people can come, meet one another and make friends.”
The club hosts queer rock climbing events and social picnics. It also participated in this year’s Canada’s Capital Pride.
“I’m looking forward to increasing the number of queer events on campus,” said Arleth Lugo Ruiz, a member of the pride society. “There’s a growing community at Carleton, and now is the perfect time.”
The club also said it works to ensure that everyone is welcome and can participate in its activities.
“Even within the queer community, racialized people face marginalization,” Baindur said. “We work extra hard to improve inclusion of people with different identities and to eliminate intersectional barriers.”
The pride society is hosting a Halloween Bash during Carleton’s Pride Festival on Oct. 14, with the help of Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) Gender Sexuality Resource Centre (GSRC). Lugo Ruiz described the occasion as a “prom experience” for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies, especially those who felt they couldn’t be themselves at their own prom.
“We want to create a community at Carleton to let people know they’re welcome at our campus,” Lugo Ruiz said.
To help transgender people with the legal transition procedure, the pride society is also setting up a Trans ID Clinic. These clinics help transgender people navigate the legal name and gender changing process, such as by helping clients file applications. Baindur said the pride society is working with members of provincial parliament on this initiative.
“We have a fundamental belief that Pride is political. We want to push for acceptance and we have to work with political entities to achieve that,” Baindur said.
Although they share similar goals, the pride society is separate from the GSRC, a CUSA service centre with 2SLGBTQ+ programs and resources. The pride society said it offers a different experience as a student club.
“Until now, the GSRC was the sole hub for all queer activities at Carleton. We’re here to expand the number of queer-focused events and initiatives to continue developing Carleton’s 2SLGBTQ+ community,” reads one of the pride society’s Instagram posts.
Despite their differences, the members of the pride society and GSRC said they look forward to working together.
“I’m very excited to see more queer and trans spaces opening up on campus,” said Gabbie Cruz, the GSRC’s programming co-ordinator.
Cruz also touched on the importance of meeting different people with unique identities.
“University is everyone’s first big step into the real world, so it’s good to see a lot of diversity,” they said.
“I think it’s always important to have different community groups in general because you have students coming from all over the place,” said Val Hussain, administrative co-ordinator at the GSRC. “To overcome your own inherent biases and bigotry, it’s important to immerse yourself in different communities in a healthy manner.”
The GSRC is experienced with hosting successful events, including having hosted a Fairytale Night prom last March.
“[The GSRC has] the expertise, and we bring the enthusiasm and effort to run these events,” Baindur said.
The pride society envisions a future where 2SLGBTQIA+ people can openly be themselves and are no longer marginalized. Members said they want to increase 2SLGBTQIA+ visibility on campus and teach Carleton students that it’s normal to be queer.
“We exist. Queer people have always been here,” Baindur said. “This is the new reality that we live in. We’re not going back to the shadows.”
Featured image by Natasha Baldin.
This article was edited at 3:27 p.m. on September 22 due to the rescheduling of the Carleton Pride Society’s Halloween Bash.
