Celebrating Pride Month at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

June is Pride Month, and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is showing its support by raising the Progress Pride flag today.

Pride Month recognizes the impact that Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex people, including Allies have had in the world.

“TBRHSC must continue to be a leader by building a health system that not only supports our Two-Spirit, Queer and Transgender communities but that it also works to build relationships to ensure the Hospital is meeting the needs of our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities,” said Jason Veltri, President of Rainbow Collective and Contract Procurement Specialist with the Northern Supply Chain at TBRHSC. “As a proud employee at TBRHSC, our regional acute care hospital sees how important it is to provide a welcoming space free from discrimination because of one’s sexual or gender identities. Today is another important day as TBRHSC recognizes Pride Month by raising the Progress Pride flag that shows support for the Trans, BIPOC and queer communities and continues its work to become a leader in diverse and inclusive health care.”

Launched in 2021, Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay is growing into an impactful Gender and Sexual Diversity (GSD) Social Movement that mobilizes people from all over to take action and create a meaningful and lasting impact across Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. They aim to achieve this by celebrating people of all sexual or gender identities, promoting respect without prejudice, providing education to build more inclusive communities and advocating for those who are still struggling to see themselves in our communities.

“Our Hospital is proud to celebrate Pride Month and demonstrate our commitment to a kind, accepting and inclusive culture for all,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “As a leader in providing safe, quality and innovative acute care to Northwestern Ontario, our Hospital strongly believes that quality health care without discrimination should not be a privilege, but an expectation. Raising the Progress Pride Rainbow flag is an important symbolic reminder that our Hospital must continue to do its part to help break down the systemic barriers to accessing health care that the 2SLGBTQ+ community often faces.”