June is Pride Month, an incredible opportunity for us to celebrate the rich diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community at Women’s and beyond.
Name: Victoria Ennis
Pronouns: she/her
Title & Department: Academic Cultural Inclusion Specialist – Academics and Office of Equity
On the WCH team for: 1 year
1. What excites you most about Pride month?
Pride season is a time to celebrate queer history, queer people, all of the progress made and all of the exciting things yet to come. Toronto Pride is one of the biggest pride celebrations in the world, so to live in this city that celebrates queer people is very freeing. My own queer community gatherings are some of the most fun, and affirming spaces I have, so to have a month that celebrates all queer people brings me lots of joy. It helps that there are also fun colours, rainbows and beautiful imagery associated with Pride.
2. What work makes WCH an inclusive place for 2SLGBTQI+ Communities?
All of my work, whether it be on cultural inclusion in research or the allyship toolkit, represents inclusivity for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and for this I feel grateful. It’s apparent when you walk into the hospital, the physical space has staff wearing pronoun buttons, and WCH Pride shirts that allow you to feel safe knowing it’s an inclusive space. I’ve seen clinics that have rainbow flags at their desk where patients check in, small gestures like that support an inclusive hospital environment.
3. What is your greatest wish for 2025 as it relates to Pride Month and healthcare?
Pride Month in 2025 should be a time where we work to advance gender affirming care, and support trans people in their efforts to be liberated and show up authentically in society. Healthcare has a huge role in how trans, and gender diverse persons can feel affirmed, be themselves and take care of their health in a holistic way. My wish would be that any barriers currently existing are torn down, and all of my friends who are patiently on long waiting lists can have an abundance of options and opportunities at their disposal to advance their health.
4. Who is your 2SLGBTQ+ Pride role model? Why?
A few years ago in 2021, I moderated a pride panel for rainbow seniors. This panel was eye opening, emotional and so meaningful to me. One thing I took away from a panelist was that these conversations were pride. She said that pride is the conversations in the kitchen and your living room, it’s not the biggest parade, it’s not the loudest celebrations, but sitting by the campfire in good company just letting yourself be is the greatest pride there is. Her words and reflections stay with me to this day, and I hope to use her as a model to replicate what an intimate and affirming pride could be in my own community.