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The University of Calgary says it will not walk in this year’s Calgary Pride parade, following a request from organizers.
“The University of Calgary’s participation in the Calgary Pride parade will look different this year,” the school said in a statement.
The U of C says while Pride has requested the institution itself not participate, individual faculties, associations and student groups will still be able to take part. This story was first reported by the student newspaper The Gauntlet.
In its statement, the university says it remains committed to supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and adds Pride Week will be celebrated on campus.
In past years, Calgary Pride has barred others from marching in the parade, including uniformed police and political parties.
CBC News has reached out to Calgary Pride for comment.
Wylie Pietsch, the vice-president of the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) at U of C, says the association has submitted an application to march in the parade and is hopeful that will be approved.
Although Calgary Pride has not responded to CBC as to why it requested the U of C opts out, Pietsch pointed to what they call “systemic patterns that we’ve seen both the university and the province take.”
They say that includes the university’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Policy, brought in last September with what Pietsch calls “very little engagement from the community.” The policy limits participation in female sports to athletes assigned female at birth, as required by provincial legislation.
“We hope that the university, moving forward, will take more action and will be able to support the queer community further than just hosting events on campus during one week out of the year,” Pietsch said.
Mount Royal University said in a statement it looks forward to participating in this year’s parade, adding it has partnered with Calgary Pride since 2012.
Calgary Pride kicks off on Aug. 31 and will wrap with the annual parade on Sunday, Sept. 6.