Tenth Anniversary of Students’ Union Q Centre Celebrated

Intentional community identity building, the importance of LGBTQ+ spaces, and the legacy of students’ investment highlighted 

November 2, 2020

CALGARY, AB – On November 3^rd, the Students’ Union (SU) will be proudly celebrating the tenth anniversary of the only space at the University of Calgary devoted to serving our lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) community and their allies.

The SU Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, known as the Q Centre, first opened its doors on November 3, 2010. The space, administered by the SU and operated by a team of dedicated volunteers, offers a safe and supportive environment for students to hang out in, as well as educational programs and resources.

In 2014, the SU expanded the capacity of the Q Centre to provide diverse programming and services by opening a newly renovated space using an SU Quality Money grant. With over 1,000 ft² of space, the Q Centre expanded their library, offered a new reconfigurable multipurpose space for events, studying, and networking, and added private office spaces and a reception area.

“We are so proud of the work that the Q Centre has done to build a strong and thriving LGBTQ+ community on our campus,” said Frank Finley, Students’ Union President. “Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the investments students have made through SU Quality Money, the Q Centre serves to promote awareness and acceptance while offering community to students and other members of our university.”

In honor of the anniversary the SU Q Centre is hosting speaker and activist James Demers for a discussion on building community identity and queer space and how the evolution of these spaces is vital for connecting the future of the Pride movement to current social movements.

“Students have always been a key part of creating social change,” Finley added. “We are grateful for the opportunity to discuss the importance of this work with James, as we know that there is still more work to do and barriers to break down both on our campus and within our society.”

The SU is looking forward to continuing the work that the Q Centre has started throughout its ten-year history, including working to promote awareness and acceptance of different sexual identities through educational programs, partnerships with the university, and advocacy. Q Centre coordinators and volunteers pushed for the university’s first multi-stall gender-inclusive washroom, hosted awareness events during Sex Week, and led the SU’s involvement with Calgary Pride, and new events and initiatives, including remote peer support, are always being developed.

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Media Contact:

Marcus Plottel, External Communications Specialist
403-829-9208 / marcus.plottel@ucalgary.ca

Images (credit for all to Gene Baines/SU Staff):