Happy UAlberta Pride Week! We are thrilled to celebrate several recent advocacy wins that demonstrate our commitment to creating a more inclusive and welcoming community for everyone. Here are some recent wins that help us achieve this goal:

Your UASU is proud to announce that gender-affirming care will be included in the Student Healthcare Plan at no extra cost to students. This is a significant step forward in ensuring that all members of our community have access to the care they need. Stay tuned for more info on the StudentCare website.

We are also proud to share that the Pronoun Campaign (led by our VPSLs in 2021/22 and 2022/23) has made real progress at raising awareness about the importance of respecting individuals' gender identities and providing educational resources for all. The campaign's resource packs, email outreach, social media content, and class talks have had a positive impact on students' comfort levels on campus. According to our surveys, transgender students are now more likely to feel comfortable using their actual pronouns, especially transgender women. We also saw a decreased rate of severe discomfort among non-binary students, genderfluid students, and other marginalized genders. There is still much work to be done to make campus safe from discrimination and harassment. Let's continue to promote respect for all identities!

We are also excited to announce that all washrooms in the SUB tower have been converted to gender-neutral, ensuring everyone feels safe and comfortable using these facilities. Additionally, your VPSL and The Landing have been working with the University on the Affirmed Names Project, giving students more freedom to designate the name they want the University to use.

Looking ahead, we plan to open 10 gender-neutral stalls on the main floor of SUB next year, as well as 6-8 in the renovated Myer Horowitz Theatre. We are also pursuing grants to construct a gender-neutral accessible washroom in Dewey's. These initiatives will help promote inclusivity and ensure everyone has equitable access to student spaces.

We are committed to creating a safer and more welcoming community for all. Let's celebrate these wins and keep working towards a more equitable university experience.