Those looking for community at UFV don’t need to look far. There’s a variety of fun, welcoming groups on campus with exciting events for those that identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and allies to enjoy.

The UFV Pride Collective
The UFV Pride Collective is a student-led organization that strives to make the university a safer and more inclusive place to be. Events to look forward to include movie nights, drag shows, album release listening parties, and more. On April 12, the Pride Collective hosts their biggest party of the spring semester: Queer Prom. Attendees can bring a date (or dates) to dance the night away in a Wonderland theme and enjoy refreshments, music, arts and crafts, a photo booth, plus a drag show.

The collective also takes part in on-campus advocacy by working with Student Affairs, the Student Experience Office and the Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub to support social justice initiatives. They partner with local businesses and community resources like the Fraser Valley Youth Society, and support Pride events in Chilliwack and Mission.

For Emma Hones, secretary of the Pride Collective, it’s important for 2SLGBTQIA+ students at UFV to know that they’re not alone. “Our goal at the end of the day is to make this a space where no one has to even think about whether they want to be themselves openly here. They should just be,” she says.

For more information about the Pride Collective and their upcoming events, please visit their Instagram or Facebook. Folks looking to join the Pride Collective can connect via email at prideufv@gmail.com.

UFV’s Queer Book Club
The Queer Book Club is a partnership between the Pride Collective and the UFV Library. Any literature lovers looking for a safe, sober space to meet with other 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies can feel right at home – and there’s no pressure to read the book. Maranda Lowen, a second-year Social Work student and club member assures that everyone is welcome to come for the discussion and the company, regardless of whether they had time to read the chapters. Past book selections include All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell, and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

Being a part of the book club has been an affirming and meaningful experience for Lowen, who says, “as a queer person, being able to just occupy space with other queer folks, people at different points in their journeys and just being able to gather with people … I sometimes compare it to speaking a language. A straight cis person may try and learn your language, but there’s a lot of yourself you have to translate for them. But when I sit in book club or I go to a Pride Collective meeting, while people may have had different experiences from me, I don’t have to translate myself for them, you know?”

The members share a love for reading, and support each other along the way. “It doesn’t matter who you are, how many books you’ve read, if you know what your pronouns are, what your labels are. It’s for absolutely anyone who wants to show up,” says Lowen.

The Queer Book Club meets in person every two weeks on Thursday evening from 4–6 pm, with online sessions every other Friday at 6:30–8:30 pm. You can drop by a meeting at any point in the semester and find them in the SUS Clubhouse in room S2102b, no registration required. For more information, email prideufv@gmail.com.

Queer Reviewed
Queer Reviewed is a group of staff, faculty, alumni and students from various disciplines and communities who work together to support and celebrate Pride on campus. The group formed after the International Day Against Transphobia, Homophobia and Biphobia, which spurred cross-departmental conversations between staff members about how they could be of help.

One of their regular events is Queeraoke, a karaoke party where students, staff and faculty can sing, dance, socialize, and enjoy drinks and refreshments. The next Queeraoke will be held Thursday, March 28 from 5–9 pm at the Student Union Building restaurant and will include an open mic portion. Attendees can RSVP here.

The group reviews current events, aiming to mitigate issues where possible while curating and keeping protected spaces for the marginalized. Jennifer Martel, a member of Queer Reviewed and manager of the Office of Sustainability, says, “We want to work together to lift those who need it and amplify the voices that need to be heard. We’re a group who wishes to celebrate the beauty and importance of all the humans in the community while ensuring that everyone in our community feels safe.”

More information about Queeraoke can be found on the UFV events calendar here. To become a member of Queer Reviewed, contact Mallory.Manley@ufv.ca or Jennifer.Martel@ufv.ca.