Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario
March Newsletter 2026
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Zero Discrimination Day
March 1, 2026
Everyone deserves the same opportunities for fair treatment in life regardless of their age, sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, or health status.
Zero Discrimination Day highlights the need to end discrimination and promotes diversity. By raising awareness, we can collectively create a community where everyone can live with dignity, value, and respect.
Canada is known as a multi-cultural society with legal protections for human rights. We as individuals, however, can do more in our own lives to end discrimination by noticing and changing our own actions, speaking up when we witness discrimination, and creating inclusive environments in our workplaces, places of recreation, and homes.
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Transgender Day of Visibility
March 31, 2026
This annual day of observation celebrates the lives of transgender and non-binary people, their contributions, and their joy and resilience by elevating voices and experiences.
It also draws attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence this community faces compared to cisgender (non-transgender) people. Even in Canada, transgender and non-binary people face undue hardship just by being their authentic selves.
How can you be an ally and support transgender and non-binary equality?
- Talk to your family members
- Honour pronouns and name changes
- Use inclusive terms
- Avoid microaggressions
- Bring this topic to the workplaces
- Engage in ongoing learning
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Say "Hello!" to Ruthie Crocker (she/her)
I am a part of both the Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario (GECO) and Rainbow Connections. During the day, I’m the Administrative Assistant for GECO. In the afternoon, I oversee the Rainbow Connections Drop-in Hub in Downtown St Thomas. I’m also the Program Coordinator for Rainbow Connection’s Queer Qlub for youth Tuesday evenings. I have been a part of the Rainbow Connections team for 3 years.
Why Rainbow Connections? It’s important for me to contribute to my community, and what better way than hosting space for LGBTQ+ youth? They’re an underserved population that deserve a place where they can simply be themselves and enjoy time with their friends in a judgement-free, safe, inclusive environment. Rainbow Connections focuses on youth-centred and youth-led initiatives which means impactful programming. It brings me joy to interact with youth on an almost daily basis.
I would describe myself as kind, patient, and accepting. I have training in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Applied Suicide Intervention Skils Training (ASIST), Mental Health First Aid, and CPR, First Aid & AED use training. When I have free time, you’ll find me in the woods either hiking, camping, or reading. I’m never without a book, and my personal library collection comes in at about 450 books. I live in Downtown St Thomas with my two cats - Archie (she/her) and Lucifur (he/him.) I’ve called St Thomas “home” for a very long time. I recently agreed to be the Secretary for Elgin County Pride, and I love the work I do with GECO and Rainbow Connections. I believe in radical acceptance, in harm reduction, and the idea that positive growth doesn’t come from shame.
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International Women's Day
Sunday, March 8
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."
- Helen Keller -
The first International Women's Day (IWD) was marked on March 8, 1911, when over a million people across Europe came together to support women's rights, including the right to work, vote, hold public office, and live free of discrimination. IWD is a time to recognize and celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and girls.
In 2026, IWD marks an extraordinary milestone: 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress toward gender equality. For more than a century, IWD has helped drive transformative change. Each generation has built on the courage of those before it, pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible.
IWD can mean different things to various groups, yet the overarching aims of IWD are to:
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Celebrate women’s achievements through recognizing and appreciating the contributions of women in various fields, highlighting their influence and successes throughout history and in the present day.
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Raise awareness of gender inequality through shining a light on persistent issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education and opportunities.
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Mobilize action for equality through encouraging individuals, communities, and organizations to take steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for women.
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Donate and fundraise for women-focused charities, and elevate the visibility of their work.
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Foster solidarity among people of all genders in support of women’s rights and gender parity worldwide.
Learn about Women of Impact in Canada on the Government of Canada Website.
Read about the Gender Equality Timeline of Canada from 1900 - 2025.
Donate to the Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario today to help further our cause!
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C.A.M.P. 2026
Wed, March 11, 6:30-9:30 PM
CECI, 201 Chestnut Street, St Thomas
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Connection - Awareness - Mindfulness - Purpose
Rainbow Connections will be attending C.A.M.P 2026 - an event created to support the mental wellness of high school students in St Thomas. Attendees will benefit from a guest speaker, a student-led "fireside" chat, and information booths from community organizations promoting positive mental health.
This event is for registered students of CECI, Parkside, and Arthur Voaden and their caregivers.
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Raising Stronger Futures: Youth Leadership in Advancing Justice for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence
Friday, March 13, 2:30 PM
Virtual
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Christina Waite, Youth Advisor on the GECO Board, is leading a virtual presentation at the United Nations.
Young people are not only the next generation of justice advocates — they are leading change right now. As rates of gender-based violence rise globally, youth are uniquely positioned to disrupt cycles of harm, challenge social norms, mobilize peers, and design prevention strategies informed by lived experience and digital realities. This presentation explores youth-centered approaches to strengthening justice pathways for survivors of gender-based violence, grounded in the UN CSW26 theme of Strength and Access to Justice. It will highlight how student advocacy, peer-education models, survivor-support initiatives, and community partnerships can expand access to justice for women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals.
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Creating Equitable Communities: Leadership Summit
Friday, March 27, 10 AM - 4 PM
CASO Station, 750 Talbot St, St Thomas
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Will you grow with us?
Leaders and community builders are invited to join the Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario in a leadership summit where we will discuss how, together, we can create and grow more equitable communities in St Thomas, Elgin County, and the surrounding area.
Attendees are invited to share a brief presentation on what their organization is currently doing to help create communities that embrace equity and feministic values during our spotlight introduction. We aim to work together to collaborate on an action plan of how we can grow our communities collectively.
Lunch will be provided.
Register for FREE through Eventbrite
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All-Ages Book Fair
Tuesday, March 31, 6-8 PM
Contact Us for Location
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Relive the nostalgia of a Scholastic Book Fair - the joy of seeing so many books in one place, the mystery of what little trinkets you may pick up, the thrill of finding the next perfect read - and this time, it's for FREE!
Join Rainbow Connections for an All-Ages Book Fair - where community members donate books from a wide variety of genres, and you get to take home as many as you like at no cost!
Have some books you'd like to share? Bring them with you to swap!
Share the love of reading with Rainbow Connections members. Not a member, yet? Connect with us to join!
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Are you a
Queer or Trans youth living in rural Southwestern Ontario?
Do you know
someone who is?
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Rainbow Connections
March 2026 Events for Youth:
March 3: QQ - Lego Night
March 10: QQ - Bookmark Making
March 17: QQ - Luck O' The Irish Game Night
March 24: YAS - Chat and Chill
March 31: All-ages - Book Fair/Swap
Rainbow Connections is a GECO program that creates two safe community spaces for Trans and Queer youth: Queer Qlub for those ages 12-18 and Young Adult Club for those 18-30. To obtain a location, please join via our website.
Queer Adult Social:
In partnership with Elgin County Pride, queer adults aged 18+ are welcome to join us at 53 Hiawatha Street, St Thomas on the second Thursday of the month from 6-8 PM for Queer Adult Social. Hang out, play some games, and make some friends!
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Rainbow Connections Drop-in Hub
Location: 15 St Catharine Street, Unit 305, St Thomas, ON
Hours: Mon - Thurs, 2-5 PM
Rainbow Connections has officially opened a brand-new physical community hub for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. Visitors are welcome to stop by, hang out, grab a snack, collect some resources, and just be themselves in a safe, welcoming environment.
New to the Hub: Lending Library! Check out our collection of books for youth and young adults. Books are on loan for 3 weeks. We add to the collection often, so be sure to check back frequently!
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ConnectHER
Are you passionate about skilled trades and eager to be a part of a supportive community that helps you thrive? Whether you're just starting out or an experienced tradesperson, our ConnectHER trades community is the perfect fit for you!
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