Kathy O'Connell
Pansexual Pride Day – Dec 8, 2023

Pansexuality is a sexual orientation which is not limited by gender. It is defined as an attraction to all genders, including trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming people.

Pansexual Pride Day is an annual celebration of the pansexual community, which recognizes, celebrates and brings visibility to those who identify as pansexual. It is celebrated on December 8 each

Pansexual Pride Day – Dec 8, 2023
Kathy O'Connell
Marking World Aids Day

The 1st of December is an important day, marking not just the beginning of the holiday season for many, but the recognition of World AIDS Day. This important date is a time to recognize those who have been lost to the HIV/AIDS pandemic over the past four decades, as well as to celebrate life, activism, and continued progress toward a cure and combating stigma.

A United Nations study found that, by 2020, between 27.2 million and 47.8 million people have died as a result of AIDS, and that another 37.7 million are currently living with HIV. Luckily, thanks to years of scientific work and public health campaigns, as well as activist efforts, the death rates and stigma around HIV/AIDS have plummeted

Marking World Aids Day
Kathy OCraven
Why is Pride Month in June? A look back at the ...

By Mike Ott
Why do we celebrate Pride Month in June? Why is Pride marked by a parade? Why do we so often hear about Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and other LGBTQ2S+ heroes this time of year? These are common questions that many have, and they all reach back to the same root answer: the Stonewall Riots. 

In June of 1969, an event took place that is considered by many to be the igniting spark of the modern queer rights movement. 

Here’s what happened: In the very early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village institution on Christopher Street that served as a popular gathering place for queer people. Finally having had enough, patrons and other community members fought back, resisting police aggression and violence.  

This resistance effort, now known as the Stonewall Riots, extended into the following days and nights, eventually culminating in the formation of several activist groups fighting for the right to live openly and legally regardless of sexual orientation. 

One year later, in 1970, members of

Why is Pride Month in June? A look back at the Stonewall Riots
Kathy O'Connell
Monthly Transfemme and Nonbinary Support Meeting

Are you an 18+ trans woman, transfeminine individual, or nonbinary person looking for support? Are you questioning or exploring your gender identity? Do you have questions about coming out to partners, family and friends, coming out at work, social transition, medical and legal transition? Are you looking for community and a place to discuss your trans experience during the pandemic? Toronto Pflag's new transfeminine and nonbinary virtual support group may be for you!

The group will be a trans and nonbinary safe space, facilitated by trans feminine folx. It will be held on the third Thursday of each month, from 7:00-9:30 pm.

Please email: transfem.enby@torontopflag.org to register, or for more information.

Monthly Transfemme and Nonbinary Support Meeting

IDAHTB Story Callout

IDAHTB Story Callout


MAY 17, 2021 is around the corner!!

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is not a unified campaign. It's a moment that belongs to everyone. This year's global theme is "Together: Resisting, supporting, healing". (www.May17.org)

Our Toronto Pflag families and volunteers would like to hear from you! We hope to share some of your own stories showcasing kickass LGBTQ2S+ supportive families, allyship amongst friends, couples who have faced tricky times, and related topics. What are some of the ways you muster inner-strength and healing. Music? Art? Your pets?

We will feature a selection of stories starting May 17th, and others submitted before June 1st, 2021 as we approach Pride Month. Please limit submissions to 500 words maximum. Additionally, you are welcome to share photo(s) but they are not mandatory! If you wish to submit a story please email: newsletter@torontopflag.org.

Pride Preview


Pride is around the corner and Toronto Pflag is organizing several exciting events for all to attend. More details will be shared in a special edition of the newsletter later this month! Stay tuned!

Qualitative Research Study with BIPOC Trans Youth


Researchers out of the University of Toronto are looking to interview BIPOC trans youth as part of a qualitative interview study to highlight unique experiences and resilience of BIPOC trans youth aged 13-24.

Researchers will use qualitative interviewing to ensure that the words of the participants are front and centre. This study aims to highlight the unique experiences and resilience of BIPOC trans youth.

Interviews will last approximately 1 hour and will be done over Skype (with participant's choice between video or just audio interviews). Participants will receive a $30 e-gift card of their choosing.

Further details can be found on their Facebook page or next steps can be found on their website.

Resisting the Script: a Queer Oral History Podcast


Resisting the Script: 25+ Years of Queer Activism is a podcast produced by OUT of the CLOSET Lecture Series and Rainbow Faith and Freedom and is dedicated to highlighting lesser-known stories of queer activism in Ontario. The series features interviews with seven LGBTQ2S+ older adults from across the province who have shared their stories and activism experiences with us. This podcast was made possible by support from the OUT of the CLOSET Lecture Series, New Horizons, Rainbow Faith and Freedom, and the Michael Lynch History Grant.

The first two episodes are with Two Spirit activist and poet Nicole Tanguay and community activist Anthony Mohamed. Both are available now on Apple or Spotify with new episodes released every third Tuesday!

Black History Month

Black History Month

February is Black History Month and an opportunity to make space, listen, amplify, protect and support black voices. This month is a great moment to recognize and celebrate Black excellence and Black contributions to history and culture including within our LGBTQ2S+ communities, so we hope to share with Toronto Pflag families some of the learning we have done this month.

The origin of Black History Month dates back to

National Coming Out Day Stories

Our Team asked our readers for coming out day stories they wanted to share with our Toronto Pflag Family. Below is a submission from parent Lisa D.

When N came out to me as questioning at the age of 14, it wasn’t a big deal. I’d noticed that they didn’t have the stereotypical obsession with the opposite sex but it didn’t worry me. I think that society is hypersexualized and we foist it on our kids - especially our girls - well before they’re ready for it. So with cis-gender, heterosexual ignorance, I told N not to label themself and they’d figure things out in time.

A few weeks later they told me

Virtual Backgrounds for Zoom -- Toronto Pflag Style!

Want to show your Toronto Pflag Spirit at the Coffee and Mimosa Mingler, or at any of the other Pride events this weekend? You can choose a custom Toronto Pflag Zoom Background!

How, you ask?

1) Choose the background(s) you would like to use, from the gallery below.

2) Get the image onto your computer.  (Download it to your hard drive.  That might mean grabbing it from the browser and dragging it to a location, or control-clicking on the image, or however you usually get files from a website to your computer.)

3) In Zoom, when you can see yourself, look next to the video camera icon on the lower left. Click the little "^" next to it. Select Choose Virtual Background.

3) In Zoom, when you can see yourself, look next to the video camera icon on the lower left. Click the little "^" next to it. Select Choose Virtual Background.

4) Click the Plus-in-a-Box over on the right, where the red arrow is pointing.

4) Click the Plus-in-a-Box over on the right, where the red arrow is pointing.

5) That will pull up a file selection window.  Select the one you you just downloaded.

6)  If it shows up backwards, in the Zoom Preview window choose "Mirror my video" 

Ta da!

Toronto Pflag Zoom Background Gallery

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