2025/26 Global Speaker Series on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Inclusion

The UBC Faculty of Education Global Speaker Series on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Inclusion is an annual event that addresses some of society’s most pressing priorities by sharing and learning from stories from around the world.

Host

Dr. Jan Hare (she/her), Dean and Professor, UBC Faculty of Education

Distinguished Speaker

Tiq Milan (he/him) is a writer, storyteller, and cultural strategist whose work illuminates the intersections of gender, justice and personal transformation. For over fifteen years, he has helped audiences across North America understand the power of authentic narrative as a tool for empathy, inclusion and social change. A former Senior Media Strategist and National Spokesperson at GLAAD, Tiq has led national campaigns advancing transgender visibility and trained executives, advocates, and youth leaders in powerful, equity-centred storytelling.

Tiq’s writing has appeared in BuzzFeed, CNN, and NBC, and his TED Talk, A Queer Vision of Love and Marriage, has been viewed more than 3 million times, resonating with global audiences seeking deeper conversations on love, identity and belonging. He is also the executive producer of the GLAAD Award–winning documentary Beyond Aggressives: 25 Years Later.

Using personal narrative to spark dialogue about masculinity, race, gender and the evolving landscapes of LGBTQ+ experience, Tiq has spoken at universities including Harvard, Stanford, Brown and NYU. He serves on the boards of the American LGBTQ+ Museum, the NYC LGBTQ Center and the Trans Genome Project at Mount Sinai.

Q&A Moderator

Dr. Julia Sinclair-Palm (they/them), Director, Robert Quartermain Centre for SOGI-inclusive Excellence in Education

Register here