news // 4 theotherpress.ca Douglas Students’ Union reduces size of its Pride Center » Douglas Pride Community members react negatively to decision Angela Espinoza News Editor Mnews 5 @theotherpress.ca n July 7, the Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) Building (SUB) committee approved a decision to reduce the size of the DSU Pride Centre. Since then, a wall has been erected, cutting the centre’s space down to half its original size. While the new space is intended for clubs and other student-related activity, members of Douglas’ Pride Community are now outraged at how the decision was handled. “They didn’t ask us directly until after ... they’d made the decision,” said Pride Community member Brandon Eyre. “On July 18, Greg Teuling [member-at-large for the DSU] approached us over Facebook saying there was [going to be] a meeting without telling us what they wanted. On July 23 one was able to attend. Later : that day we were notified on : : Facebook by Nicole [Landingin- : : Dougall] what [they] wanted : to tell us. They then told us ... : [that the decision had been : finalized], and then the week : after that they built the wall. It’s : : up now; you can actually be in along with the Students’ Union ; both spaces.” On the DSU Pride Centre Facebook page, a post was made : : on July 23 by Teuling stating: “On Monday June 23 it was : recommended by the Building : and Services SUB Committee : that due to increased demands : onspace in the SUB, room 206, : commonly referred to as the : pride room, be split in half to : provide more room for all clubs : : and students in the SUB.” : Teuling’s post further stated : : that no specific club will be : taking over the space, but rather : : clubs and students can book the : : room for their usage. Eyre also stated that the : decision was apparently based : ona lack of members in the : Pride Community, which is : a factor normally applied to : clubs. “It’s kind of funny because they held the meeting, [but] no ... the Pride Community isn’t : aclub,” said Eyre. “We're not : required to have a membership. : “Tt used to be called the ‘Pride Collective? which makes : more sense for what the Pride : Community is. The idea of it : was to have a safe space for : LGBTQ+ students, as well as [providing] a group of people : that those students could hang : out with and rely on. “We have a permanent space, a safe space for us, : [but] from what I understand, : one of the issues ... was the : DSU felt that there was a lack : of membership in the Pride : Community, and lack of use : of the pride space ... which : is even funnier because our : ‘membership’ fluctuates quite substantially. Just a year-and-a- : : half ago we actually had quite a large membership, and then : in the summer now—every summer it goes down... it'll be interesting to see what the : numbers look like in the fall. “We're not a club, so : we shouldn't be based off : of membership numbers, : especially because even in the : LGBTQ+ community there’s : some people who don’t want : to be actual members per se of : the Pride Community because : ... they’re not wanting to be outted. Numbers don’t work : well with it at all, so ... to base : the decision on that was ill- : informed I would say. But I guess that’s what happens when : you don’t talk to us.” Community will be fighting : against the decision, which the : community intends to be vocal : about. that are mad ... basically : because they actually use this : space frequently. We had one : member who actually wasn't : attending Douglas, and this : member proceeded to take : classes again at Douglas so he : could basically fight this. [and we have] a number of : : members that will be marching : : in the pride parade highlighting : : ... that the DSU did this. We will : : be talking with students as well, : : just trying to ... have people : understand [the situation]. : Another [Pride Community] : : member mentioned that we will : : be trying to build a way for the : DSU as well as the pride liaison : : to work with us in the future to : ‘consensus build’ instead ofa : top-down approach.” Eyre added that the Pride “We have a lot of people “We have a petition online, When asked about the changes to the Pride Cenre, Tim Rattel, the DSU’s executive : director told the Other Press: “In my reading of the petition, it is not asking for ; the return of the room, just : rallying people to maintain the : ‘safe space’ currently available. : I think this is tremendously : exciting: this kind of advocacy : and membership outreach has : been disappointingly absent in : the last [five] years that I have : been at the DSU. “The DSU Pride Facebook group does not represent : the actual membership of : Pride on campus as most : of the individuals are allies, : friends, or former students. : Pride at the New Westminster : Campus has consistently had an annual active membership (as currently) of [six to seven] students who attended the meetings. On a daily basis no : more than one or two people : used the room: the same one or : two people.” In addition to the : statement, Rattel stressed that many additional and even : larger student groups and : collectives on campus have : been struggling to find their : own unique spaces. Douglas Pride Community hosts "Tye-Dye Party » New West Pride Week extends to nine-day festival Julia Siedlanowska Staff Writer he Douglas College Pride Collective is organiz- ing a “Tye-Dye Party” for August 16 as part of New Westminster’s Pride Week. “Pride Week and Pride in rights. It’s to celebrate who we the support that we receive from others,” said Douglas Students’ Union pride liaison Nicole Landingin-Dougall. “I was approached by the Royal City Pride Society to see if we could We decided ona tie-dye party because of how fun (and messy) it can be. We wanted to do an is celebrating its fifth anniver- sary this year by extending its annual festival to a nine-day event, including a street party on New Westminster's : Columbia Street. From August 8 : : tothe 16 the festival will provide : : events and entertainment : suchas the Stonewall Dance, a : kick-off party at the Metro Hall, : and the Vancouver Gaymers : Monthly New West Meet-Up, : where patrons are welcome : to have lunch with the club : followed by an afternoon of : board games at Board Game : Warriors. Steel & Oak Brewery general are to celebrate LGBTQ+ : will also be present at the event : witha Bold and Fruity Cask on are, [living] life unashamed, and : tap, prepared especially for : the New Westminster Pride : : Festival. Other events and enter- : : tainment include exotic male : dancers performing at Status : Nightclub, Comedy Night at the Lafflines Comedy Club, as well do an event in collaboration with : New Westminster Pride Festival. : as a performance by Queer as Funk at the Columbia Theatre. The street party will : also begin on August 16, just : outside the Columbia SkyTrain event that was fun for everyone.” : The Royal City Pride Society : station on 4th Street and Columbia Street from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Emceed by Barb : Snelgrove, Co-host of QueerFM : RELOADED and on-air reporter : : for OUTlook/Outtv, the Health : Initiative for Men Main Stage features a lineup of musicians such as Patrick Masse, Michael : Fraser, DJ SupaFly, as wellasI : Am Mandrake. There will also : beperformances by drag queens : and kings including Leada Stray, : Monik Sparks and Miz Adrien. The Douglas Pride : Collective will be hosting “Tye- : Dye Party” on the day of the : street party from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. : atthe Douglas Students’ Union : building. They willalso be : selling snacks and refreshments. “The idea is simple: we tie-dye clothing items for you for free!” says Landingin-Dougall. : “We hope to reach out to the : community to let everyone : knowthat the DSU Pride : Community is here for you.” The Pride Collective : manages the pride room located : in the far left corner on the third : floor of the Douglas College : Students Union Building at the : New West campus, and is avail- : able for students year round. “Weare here for students, we havea full library of resources, and students are welcome to come and chill with : us,” says Landingin-Dougall.