Gender Equality Week: September 22-28
In Canada, Gender Equality Week takes place the fourth week of September. Gender Equality Week was created based on the Gender Equality Week Act in June of 2018 and has been celebrated each following year. This week celebrates achievements in advancing gender equality, especially contributions by women and gender diverse communities.
Gender equality goes beyond the binary construct of man and woman, which excludes many gender identities. To learn more about gender identity, watch UBC’s Intro to Gender Diversity: Beyong the Binary at UBC. As discussed in August’s blog post on Intersectionality Awareness, discrimination increases when individuals identify with more than one marginalized, oppressed, or underrepresented groups.
The Gender Equality Week Act
The Act that established Gender Equality Week acknowledges that gender can be a barrier to success as women in Canada are disproportionately affected by poverty and inequality, especially elderly, disabled, transgender, and visible minority women. Because of these inequities, women, especially transgender women in visible minority groups, may experience further isolation, vulnerability, and violence.
Gender Equality Week was based on this act to recognize the achievements and resilience of women and gender-diverse communities. The Government of Canada has created this timeline of achievements for gender equality. While this timeline shows progress in the right direction, we still have a long way to go to improve gender equality in Canada.
UBC Resources:
To learn more about gender diversity, watch UBC’s Intro to Gender Diversity: Beyond the Binary at UBC.
In 2021, UBC students also created a Trans and Non-Binary Student Guide to help students navigate UBC in an accessible way.
Here is a collection of resources UBC has provided to support diverse students in finding connection and support at UBC.
UBC’s Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice provides a platform for a number of student journals. Ignite: the Undergraduate Journal for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice is an annual publication that showcases intersectional feminist scholarship produced by UBC students. The Decomp Journal is a literary and multimedia journal grounded in social justice committed to curating art from marginalized communities.
UBC Library Materials:
To learn more, check out these materials available at the UBC Library:
Esch, G. V. d. (2024;2023;). Leading our way: How women are re-defining leadership (1st ed.). Wiley. [Available at UBC Library]
Kendall, M. (2020;2021;). Hood feminism: Notes from the women that a movement forgot. Penguin Books. [Available at UBC Library]
Twist, A. (2019). Disintegrate/dissociate: Poems. Arsenal Pulp Press. [Available at UBC Library]
Yousafzai, M., & Lamb, C. (2013). I am malala: The girl who stood up for education and was shot by the taliban (First ed.). Little, Brown and Company. [Available at UBC Library]
Woolf, V. (1957). A room of one’s own. Harcourt, Brace & World. [Available at UBC Library]
Web sources consulted:
Carriere, M.-E. (2022, July 14). Summer Reads 2022: Our Top 12 Gender-Inclusive Books for Queer Youth & Allies That Take Us Beyond the Binary. It Gets Better Canada. https://itgetsbettercanada.org/2022/07/14/summer-reads-2022/, https://itgetsbettercanada.org/2022/07/14/summer-reads-2022/
Government of Canada. (2024, March 18). Gender Equality Week. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/gender-equality-week.html
Legislative Services Branch. (2018, June 21). Gender Equality Week Act. Justice Laws Website. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/G-2.3/page-1.html
Prime Minister of Canada. (2024, September 22). Statement by the Prime Minister on Gender Equality Week. Prime Minister of Canada. https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2024/09/22/statement-prime-minister-gender-equality-week
Tucker, Kate. (2023). Gender Equality Week. The Sandbox Project. https://sandboxproject.ca/2023-9-8-gender-equality-week/
UBC Library Mentorship Program
The UBC Library–iSchool Mentorship Program is the first initiative of its kind in Canada. The deadline is September 30, 2025.
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, a member of the Hwlitsum First Nation and lawyer, is an elected councilor of her Coast Salish nation. She co-created UBC’s Weaving Relations course, IDEAL program, and Cascades of Change program, among others, and has led the UBC Orange Shirt Day Intergenerational March since 2021. Dana-Lyn has worked in Indigenous programming and student affairs since 2012 and has spent the majority of her post-secondary career in four faculties at UBC, the Allard School of Law, Applied Sciences, Land and Food Systems and Forestry. She was recognized with the UBC President’s Staff Awards for Inclusion and Anti-Racism (2024) and Advancing Diversity and Inclusion (2016). Dana-Lyn works as an associate lawyer at Acumen Law, where she practices employment law, wills and estates and helps Indigenous clients. In 2024, Dana-Lyn ran for the BC Green Party as an MLA candidate for Vancouver Yaletown. A proud mother of two amazing young adults, Dana-Lyn dedicates her spare time to her family.
Learn more about Dana-Lyn Mackenzie’s work in A Conversation with Dana-Lyn Mackenzie
August is Intersectionality Awareness Month
What is Intersectionality?
First coined in 1989 by lawyer, civil rights advocate, and critical race theory scholar Kimberle Crenshaw, intersectionality describes when a person identifies with two or more marginalized, oppressed, or underrepresented groups as well as the impact systems have on people who are at the intersection of those identities (University of British Columbia, 2023).
Though the term was coined more recently, one of the most famous speeches in history, “Ain’t I A Woman,” by Sojourner Truth, is one of the key historical illustrations of intersectionality. The speech addresses the inseparable nature of overlapping social identities such as sexism and racism.
The speech has been altered over time, but a rendition performed by Kerry Washington of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I A Woman” can be found here.
The intersection of racism and sexism are some of the most frequently discussed in scholarship, but there are many other areas where individuals and communities are impacted by discriminatory systems. Some other examples where intersectionality can be applied are:
- LGBTQIA+ individuals fearing homophobic or transphobic discrimination from health practitioners, therefore resulting in higher health issues within that community
- LGBTQIA+ immigrants who may face difficulties if they fear disclosure may have an impact on their visa
The “Wheel of Power/Privilege” provides an excellent visual showing how overlapping social identities impact privilege. As shown below, you can consult this wheel to see where you fall in terms of power or marginalization.
(UBC VPFO, 2021)
Opportunities at UBC:
To gain more in-depth knowledge about intersectionality, UBC offers a number of programs.
UBC offers a course on Understanding Intersectionality and Identity that explores the meaning of intersectionality and how systems of oppression affect individuals and communities at these intersections. The course provides tools for respectfully engaging with all members of our communities and examines the changes that must happen to shift our approach to systemic issues.
This course can be applied to UBC’s Certificate in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as well as the Micro-certificate in Anti-Racism
Opportunities within the community:
Mosaic, an organization that provides services to immigrants, refugees, and diverse backgrounds in Canada, offers Community Workshops for Equity that discuss anti-racism, intersectionality, decolonization, and cultural humility.
UBC Library Materials:
To learn more, check out these books available at the UBC Library:
Crenshaw, K., & Bloomsbury Collections: All Titles. (2024). Blackness at the intersection (1st ed.). Bloomsbury Academic. [Available at UBC Library]
Davis, A. Y., ProQuest Digital Collections, & Editorial Committee Women in Nigeria. (1981). Women, race and class. Random House. [Available at UBC Library]
Hill Collins, P., Bilge, S., & Polity Press. (2020). intersectionality (Second ed.). Polity Press. [Available at UBC Library]
hooks, b. (1981). Ain’t I a woman: Black women and feminism. South End Press. [Available at UBC Library]
Oluo, I., & EBSCOhost. (2018). So you want to talk about race (First;1; ed.). Seal Press. [Available at UBC Library]
Web sources consulted:
Intersect. (n.d.). Intersectionality. LGBTIQ Intersect. Retrieved August 8, 2025, from https://www.lgbtiqintersect.org.au/learning-modules/intersectionality/
University of British Columbia. (2023, October 26). Intersectionality. Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. https://redi.med.ubc.ca/intersectionality/
UBC Vice-President Finance & Operations Portfolio (VPFO). (2021, March 8). Intersectionality: What is it and why it matters. Vice-President Finance & Operations Portfolio (VPFO). https://vpfo.ubc.ca/news/intersectionality-what-is-it-and-why-it-matters/
July 14th: International Non-Binary People’s Day
July 14th, 2025 is International Non-Binary People’s Day
History of International Non-Binary People’s Day
First introduced in 2012, International Non-Binary People’s Day celebrates and raises awareness of non-binary people around the world. The day was chosen to be exactly halfway between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day.
The term “non-binary” does not have one definition but refers to individuals whose gender identity is neither female nor male. Other terms such as “gender non-conforming”, “genderqueer”, or “agender” are similar. Gender is a social construct that comes with a set of expectations, but there are many ways people can express their gender identity other than on a binary.
How to be an Ally
The Trevor Project, an American nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth, has developed a helpful guide for being an ally to transgender and nonbinary young people that you can find here.
Brief Overview of the Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally
The first step to becoming an ally is educating yourself rather than relying on transgender and nonbinary folk to educate you which can place the burden on them. Learning in an ongoing experience and continuing your education is part of being a good ally.
There is a difference between sex and gender, which are not interchangeable terms. Being an ally means refraining from making assumptions about people’s gender and pronouns. Some of the common genders are:
- Cisgender: people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth
- Transgender: people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth
- Nonbinary: An umbrella term to describe people who experience their gender identity and/or expression outside of the male/female/man/woman binary, including folks who are genderfluid, genderqueer, polygender, bigender, demigender, agender, and others.
- Two-Spirit: a term created by First Nations/Native American/Indigenous peoples to describe a sexual orientation and/or gender/sex that exists outside of colonial constructions of the gender binary. This term should not be appropriated by or used to describe people who are not First Nations/Native American/Indigenous
You can be supportive of nonbinary and trans people by honoring and using the names and pronouns they choose, and we cannot assume anyone’s pronouns. Introduce yourself with your pronouns when meeting someone new, creating a safe space for them to share theirs.
These are some tips and best practices on how to support trans and nonbinary people in your life:
Disclosure: Refrain from sharing anyone else’s story for them. Disclosing transgender or nonbinary identities could cause discomfort if they have not come out to others or compromise their safety.
Transitioning: There is no right way to express your gender, and some people physically or medically transition while others do not. Under no circumstances should you ask unprompted questions about a transgender or nonbinary person’s body, genitals, medical history, plans for medical procedures, previous name, or other invasive details about their life.
Age: There is no right age to understand your gender identity. Whatever their age, it is your responsibility as an ally to uplift them at every stage of their journey.
Misgendering: If you accidentally misgender someone (i.e. use the wrong name or pronouns), apologize swiftly and show that you care by doing better moving forward. You can be a good ally by standing up for others if you witness someone being harassed for their gender.
Microaggressions: These are everyday comments and questions that can be hurtful or stigmatizing. They are subtle, and the person may have no idea that their comments are harmful. Do your best to listen o feedback you may receive and take time to understand and learn if someone’s feelings are hurt by something you’ve said.
UBC Student Groups and Initiatives:
The Pride Collective at UBC is a student-run resource group for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at UBC Vancouver that provides safe community spaces, weekly discussion groups, on-campus events, gender affirming clothing, and other resources.
Gears and Queers is an Engineering and STEM club at UBC that strives to support a community for queer and trans engineering students.
Branching Out at the UBC Botanical Garden is an event on July 17, 2025 for 2SLGBTQIA+ nature lovers to celebrate pride with plants and people in the garden.
Other Resources:
The Trevor Project, an organization leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people, offering crisis services, peer support, and education.
Trans Care BC, an organization specifically in British Columbia that connects trans people and their loved ones with information, education, and support.
QMUNITY, British Columbia’s queer, trans, and two-spirit resource centre. This organization is based in Vancouver and works to provide safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to express themselves, providing free counselling, information and referrals, and one-on-one peer support.
Out on the Shelves Library is a volunteer-run, community library that is committed to being a space to celebrate and strengthen queer culture through resources and programs.
Vancouver Public Library provides a list of resources as well as reading materials for further education about LGBTQ+ experiences and communities.
UBC Library Materials:
To learn more, check out these books available at the UBC Library.
Barker, M., Iantaffi, A., & ProQuest (Firm). (2019). Life isn’t binary: On being both, beyond, and in-between (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Available at UBC Library]
Dale, L. K., & EBSCOhost. (2021). In Dale L. K. (Ed.), Gender euphoria: Stories of joy from trans, non binary and intersex writers. Unbound. [Available at UBC Library]
De Robertis, C. (2025). So many stars: An oral history of trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and two-spirit people of color (First ed.). Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. [Available at UBC Library]
Micah Rajunov, A. Scott Duane, & JSTOR (Organization). (2019). In Rajunov M., Duane A. S.(Eds.), Nonbinary: Memoirs of gender and identity (1st ed.). Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/raju18532 [Available at UBC Library]
Young, E., & ProQuest (Firm). (2020;2019;). They/Them/Their: A guide to nonbinary and genderqueer identities (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Available at UBC Library]
Web sources consulted:
Celebrating Non-Binary People’s Day. (2024, July 12). Trans Care BC. https://www.transcarebc.ca/about/news-events/celebrating-non-binary-peoples-day
International Non-Binary People’s Day. (2025). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Non-Binary_People%27s_Day&oldid=1298031203
The Trevor Project. (2024). 2024 Guide to Being an Ally to Trans and Nonbinary Young People. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/a-guide-to-being-an-ally-to-transgender-and-nonbinary-youth/