Bishop’s community taking new steps to be more inclusive
Acrowd of more than forty students, staff members and other members of the Bishop’s University community were on hand Monday afternoon for a small ceremony to inaugurate a new rainbow crosswalk on campus.
“The rainbow crosswalk is a symbol reminding the community that hate is not tolerated here,” said Gillian Maclean, co-lead of the Bishop’s University Pride Alliance (BUPA), explaining that the symbolic gesture is
a part of a larger global movement in support of sexual and gender diversity. “It is a reminder that the fight for LGBTQ rights doesn’t end when pride month does.”
According to Maclean, the idea was first brought forward by one of the past leaders of BUPA but brought back into focus this year by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC).
“Bishops’ was very receptive,” said SRC President Enzo Evangelisti. “I think it likely would have happened last year had the pandemic not stalled us.”
Miles Turnbull, Bishop’s Viceprincipal
Academic, was one of two invited speakers at Monday’s ceremony. While recognizing that a painted crosswalk is not a solution to problems of prejudice and persecution on its own, he spoke to the importance this kind of public gesture can have as a first step.
“What does it mean for BU to have this rainbow crosswalk?” Turnbull asked. “I hope it will be a symbol for our whole community, but most especially for students who are struggling with their sexuality and/or gender