The President of Windsor-Essex Pride Fest says it was sad to see the hate crimes that occurred at the University of Windsor earlier this month.
Wendi Nicholson says hearing that the University's Campus Pride Centre has closed for the remainder of the school year is really unfortunate.
The University of Windsor Students' Alliance posted to social media on Friday that campus police are investigating after homophobic slurs were carved into the door of the Campus Pride Centre on three separate occasions.
On April 10, 11, and 12, the slur was carved and etched into the door. In each incident the slur was covered up, and was reported to campus police.
Following the last incident, the Campus Pride Centre coordinator made the decision to close the centre for the rest of the school year.
Nicholson says the students need this space.
"It's unfortunate that they had to close up shop this close to the end of the school year for something this horrendous. It saddens me to see that we have to close things because of the hate."
She says this is supposed to be a safe space for the 2LGBTQIA+ community.
"You get to the end of the season and things are getting all wound up, and you need some place to vent, or chill, or whatever, and that's the place for them to be, especially right now with the ending of exams."
She says this seems like a step backwards.
"It seems for every step that we've taken forward over the years, at this point it seems like they've all been erased, and we're back to having to fight for our rights to exist and be equal to everyone else."
The post on social media states "These acts of prejudice have highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by 2LGBTQIA+ individuals and reaffirmed our commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive environment on campus."
Students looking for resources of support can reach out to a number of organizations, including the Peer Support Centre, Student Counselling Centre, Campus Pride Centre, UWinPride, Windsor-Essex Pride Fest, or Trans Wellness.