Pride Month message from Saroo Sharda, associate dean of equity and inclusion

As Pride Month begins, we find ourselves searching for ways to commemorate the important history and contributions of the 2SLGBTQ+ community to healthcare and beyond.

As faculty, staff and learners in a Faculty of Health Sciences, it is essential that we reflect and learn about the ongoing barriers 2SLGBTQ+ communities face when it comes to accessing safe and equitable healthcare.

The recent podcast series by Rainbow Health Ontario, 2SLGBTQ Health in Focus, explores some of these barriers and offers opportunities and ideas for change and allyship. I was honoured to be invited to join them for an important discussion on countering anti-trans hate for health care providers.

Last year, Dr. Albina Veltman, associate chair of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenous Reconciliation, and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, wrote an article outlining how we can promote positive and affirming cultures and spaces.

This year, to enhance our understanding and support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in healthcare settings, the Office of Faculty Affairs and the Faculty of Health Sciences Office of Equity and Inclusion have partnered with Rainbow Health Ontario to create an exclusive two-part event. Thank you to all who have registered for this important learning opportunity.

While we celebrate Pride Month in June, I encourage you to continue finding ways to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community and focus on their rights and safety in your daily life, all year round.

Each of us is responsible for creating and upholding a safe and inclusive environment for the communities to which we belong.