Why have a Positive Space Program? Every place on campus should be queer-positive.
It is true that every place on campus should be queer-positive and that we all have a responsibility to be welcoming and inclusive of all people under the Queen’s Harassment/Discrimination Policy and Procedure. However, the reality is that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans people at Queen’s are subjected to insults, harassment, and physical assaults, and that they continue to be excluded from texts, curricula, and scholarship. The majority of these students, staff, and faculty do not experience most classrooms, labs, offices, or residences as queer-positive. As a result, very few feel comfortable self-identifying at Queen’s. It is hoped that Positive Space Program indicators will offer them places where they can feel confident that sexual and gender diversity is respected and even celebrated. The presence of the stickers will also raise awareness of the range of differences that exists on campus and sensitize others to subtle and overt forms of heterosexism and transphobia.
