- To affirm the inclusion of sexual and gender diverse students, staff and faculty.
- To increase the visibility of positive supportive people and spaces for LGBT2SQIA+(lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (transgender, genderqueer, non-binary), two-spirit, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual) students, staff and faculty in the working, living, and learning environments of UBC.
- To increase awareness and competencies of sexual and gender identities and other intersections of identity (e.g. race, class, ability, religion...etc) and lived experience.
- To build communities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, gender non-binary, two-spirit and intersex colleagues, classmates and other UBC community members.
The Positive Space Campaign is not a counselling or complaint resolution network on campus. Anyone with a concern about discrimination and harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression can access to the Equity & Inclusion Office for conflict support and resolution, or they can contact their Administrative Head of Unit, employee or faculty association, union or student services for assistance.
Displaying a Positive Space sticker means that you are supportive of sexual and gender diversity and have some knowledge about the LGBT2SQIA+ community, terminology, and impacts of homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism. If a situation arises where you feel more assistance is needed, refer that person to any of these resources on or off campus.
Respect and support for all marginalized groups is a commitment all UBC students, staff and faculty are expected to uphold (see the Respectful Environment Statement and Policy #3 Discrimination and Harassment for more information). We work towards being inclusive, by advancing our knowledge about marginalized groups equity seeking groups, learning to be an active bystander, and working to champion systemic changes that benefit all equity seeking groups.
However, many sexual and gender diverse people are not necessarily visible and experience a distinctive form of oppression and marginalization based on the erasure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and/or expression.
Many sexual and gender diverse people remain closeted in all or parts of their lives, including in their work or study lives at UBC. They may assume that if they are visible they will experience negative views, reactions, and hostility based on their sexual and/or gender identities and/or expressions. This can be complicated when we consider the intersections of multiple identity categories and how stigma and stereotypes affect how people experience the UBC campus environment.
These assumptions are often a result of the hostile environment in this society, or where many LGBT2SQIA+ persons have grown-up and lived. Thus, a visibility and awareness campaign such as Positive Space is an effective way to help counteract these assumptions.
Everyone who displays a Positive Space logo has made the decision to do so. By displaying the logo, UBC students, staff, and faculty commit to:
- Intentionally build a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive spaces in your working, living, and learning environments
- Actively engage in a network(s) of support by being aware of campus resources and know where to refer people who want more assistance. See the updated resources page on the Positive Space website
- Discuss, question and/or challenge microaggressions and overt acts of homophobia, transphobia and/or heterosexim in your working, living, and learning environments
Anyone can display a Positive Space logo/sticker in a visible place, preferably at the entrance to your work, study, or living space or on laptops, water bottles, and smartphones – Positive Space visibility on the go.
To learn more about the meaning of the Positive Space sticker, please visit the Positive Space Website.
No. Anyone can display a Positive Space sticker, so long as they uphold the aims and goals of the Positive Space campaign.