Celebrate Pride Month

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and elevate voices among the LGBTQ+ community.

To mark the beginning of Pride, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI) asked SU’s 2021-23 Wismer Professor for Gender & Diversity Studies, Dean Spade, to offer his reflections on what this month means to him.

As shared by Professor Spade, creating an inclusive community means sharing our stories from a variety of perspectives: 

“Annual Pride celebrations mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion: In June 1969, at a bar called the Stonewall Inn in New York City, queer and trans people fought back against the ongoing violence they faced at the hands of the police. Since that time, queer and trans people have gathered to commemorate that resistance and celebrate our vision for sexual and gender liberation. At Pride events, we rejoice in our survival, we combat stigma and isolation, we mourn our dead and we foment ongoing resistance.” Read More

Below is a list of upcoming offerings during the month of June:

Friday, June 10, 4p.m.

Lavender Graduation

The Lavender Graduation is an annual commencement celebration to recognize the achievements of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and questioning students. We invite all graduating LGBTQIA+ students, friends and allies to join us!

Graduating students, follow the link above to register for your cord!

Through Wednesday, June 15

Exploring Gender Identity through Art
Celebrate #PrideMonth at Seattle University by visiting “Embodiment: Gender in the Expanse,” an exhibit @su_hedreengallery in which six artists reckon with the questions, “How does our physical embodiment contribute to our gender identity?” “How can we engage the socially constructed qualities of our gender identity, if at all?” 

The gallery is free and open to the public Wednesdays, 1-6 p.m., Thursdays, 4-6 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 1-6 p.m. 

Citywide Events

• June 25-26: Seattle Pride Fest
• Seattle Pride Fest Events All Month
• As featured in The Seattle Times, SU alum Hannah Balducci,’19, founded one of the most talked-about additions to the local LGBTQ+ nightlife scene: Sapphic Seattle, a group that organizes events aimed at carving out space for young people who identify as lesbians, queer women, trans or nonbinary.

Additional Resources

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Task Force

Co-Led by Dr. Alvin Sturdivant, vice president for Student Development and Natasha Martin, JD, vice president for Diversity and Inclusion, the group is comprised of faculty, staff and students working toward a more inclusive Seattle University campus.

For more about how you can support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and every day,  visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI): https://www.seattleu.edu/diversity/honoring-our-heritage/celebrating-pride/

For Pride Zoom background images, visit: 

Marketing Communications: https://www.seattleu.edu/marcom/photography/zoom-backgrounds/

ODI: https://www.seattleu.edu/diversity/honoring-our-heritage/celebrating-pride/