Toronto, Ontario – On June 19, 2024, the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic proudly celebrated Pride Month alongside our dedicated staff and vibrant community members.
Our Pride Day event was an outstanding success, significantly enriched by the insightful contributions of Catherine May from The Redwood, an emergency shelter in Toronto dedicated to helping women and children facing gender-based violence. Catherine shared compelling stories from her experiences as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, highlighting the challenges faced by gender-diverse individuals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our celebration continued as our Clinic staff shared their experiences participating in pride and shared what pride means to them. We had a group art contest where we all made posters to symbolize the beauty and meaning of pride.
Photo of Clinic Staff Pride posters, and Executive Director, Deepa Mattoo, with Catherine May and Jehan Chaudary
“I am honoured to celebrate Pride Month with our staff and community. This time of year is a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience, and diversity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Catherine’s powerful messages remind us of the joy in our achievements and the importance of the work still ahead for gender inclusion locally and globally.” says Deepa Mattoo, Executive Director of the Clinic.” says Deepa Mattoo, Executive Director of Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic.
The Clinic’s counselling department hosts many group counselling sessions specifically for 2SLGBTQIA+ members. The “Queer Community Quilting Project” shares the artwork created by participants in our Open Studio: Queer Series. Over the course of three virtual groups, folks engaged with the arts to explore themselves through themes of sensory anchors, superhero therapy and looming. In doing so, they stepped into their connection with the present moment and senses, the empowered postures and figures in their lives, and the intentions that support them in co-creating beautiful futures together. At the end of this series, folks who wished to share their artwork sent in their patches, which were then brought together into a community quilt. We offer this collaborative quilt as an opportunity to expand the audience and celebrate the voices of 2SLGTBQIA+ communities.
Many individuals within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are subjected to gender-based violence due to their identity, sexual expression, and gender orientation. The Clinic proudly stands in solidarity with all members of this community during pride month and throughout the year, offering comprehensive services to support those facing targeted acts of violence and hate.
Photo of clients’ artwork from the Clinic’s Queer Community Quilting Project
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic is a specialized clinic for women and gender-diverse people experiencing violence, established in the memory of Barbra Teena Schlifer. The Clinic is a multi-disciplinary, frontline service provider that assists more than 16,000 women a year to build lives free from violence through counselling, legal representation, and language interpretation.
We envision a world where women and gender-diverse people live free from violence and discrimination. We passionately believe in the power of this work for individuals and families, for marginalized and racialized communities, for our city, province, and country.
For more information, media interviews or quotes, please contact Madison Buckley: 289-497-1048 or [email protected]