Members of the public and Royal Roads UniversityB次元官网网址檚 LGBTQ communities joined at the campus entrance in Colwood on Friday to paint the universityB次元官网网址檚 third rainbow crosswalk, the latest display of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 embrace of diversity.
B次元官网网址淥urs are communities which represent the full diversity of our society, both in the students, the staff and the faculty ranks,B次元官网网址� said RRU president Philip Steenkamp, concluding that academia should model behaviours of inclusivity.
B次元官网网址淭hrough projects like this, we encourage people to choose compassion and dialogue over discrimination, to choose equity and liberation over oppression.B次元官网网址�
The painting of this third rainbow crosswalk, near the intersection of Sooke Road and University Drive, was saved for last given its premium on visibility, Steenkamp said. Two others were laid this month at the eastern and western intersections of University and College drives, near Hatley Castle and the recreation centre.
Steenkamp, who is gay, said heB次元官网网址檚 always found his university to be an inclusive environment in the two years heB次元官网网址檚 worked there. But prior to their most recent efforts, B次元官网网址渨e have not visibly demonstrated that inclusion,B次元官网网址� he said. This year Hatley Castle raised a rainbow flag to mark Pride Month for the second time in its 113-year history.
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RRU professional communications student Jan Van Vianen said support for LGBTQ identifying students throughout his application process was a large reason why he chose the university. The recent visible demonstrations of that support are akin to the hallmark silent protests of LGBTQ acceptance movements across North America, he said.
Recent Royal Bay Secondary graduate Oliver Wood also attended the Royal Roads crosswalk painting, having partly inspired it following the Pride painting of his alma materB次元官网网址檚 crosswalk at Ryder Hesjedal Way, according to Steenkamp.
B次元官网网址淚t is crazy to see a big institution show this on their grounds,B次元官网网址� said Wood. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 leading to that more inclusive, equitable culture that we need within our community.B次元官网网址� The resulting vandalism of his high schoolB次元官网网址檚 Pride crosswalk is evidence of that fact, he added.
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B次元官网网址淭he Royal Bay incident is a local reminder that we remain in a time of adversity for many, here and around the world,B次元官网网址� Steenkamp said. In the past, the university had seen racial slurs painted on trees. Along with having stepped up security on campus, Steenkamp said the community would be back to repaint any defacement of their crosswalks, if necessary.
