U of S campaign aims to create 'positive spaces' for LGBT students

The University of Saskatchewan's Pride Centre is working to make the campus a safe place for all people through their newest campaign, Positive Space Week.

"The purpose of this week is to spread awareness about how to create more spaces for gender and sexual diversity on campus," Craig Friesen, the Pride Centre coordinator, told CBC News.

The campaign involves seminars about how to create positive spaces. These workshops include sensitivity training, discussions about privilege, learning and understanding terminology, and de-gendering speech.

Jack Saddleback, the former Pride Centre coordinator, helped lead workshops. He said he has personally felt the need for safe spaces on campus. He's a Cree two-spirited, trans, gay man.

"When I started coming out and transitioning, I had difficulties just using the men's washroom. I had people who were violent towards me, who were harassing me, who yelled at me to get out of the bathroom," he said. 

Saddleback said that's "what a trans person has to deal with on a day to day basis" and other members of the LGBT community often face discrimination as well.

On the other hand, Saddleback, who now serves as the students' union vice president of student affairs, says finding a positive space is like being able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It feels very welcoming. It feels like I can let my guard down and constantly use gender-neutral language just to feel out who's around me and who I can really feel safe around," he said.

Policy changes

The Pride Centre is using the Positive Space Week campaign as an opportunity to highlight a change to the university's discrimination and harassment policy. 

Last March, the university amended its policy to protect transgender people by banning discrimination based on a person's gender identity, two spirit identity, or gender expression.

"You can now file a complaint and things like that without fear of your complaint being thrown out or ignored," Friesen said.

Several positive space seminars were scheduled for the week of January 19 through 23, but they're available year-round.