Saskatoon Sexual Health

06/25/2026

Jaris Swidrovich is a q***r, Two-Spirit, Saulteaux, and Ukrainian pharmacist, Assistant Professor and Indigenous Engagement Lead at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto (University of Toronto) – and, as Priss Cryption, is a drag queen working to advance HIV prevention.

Jaris originally planned to become a drama teacher before a pharmacy application redirected their path. Pharmacy quickly became a passion, alongside a commitment to strengthening Indigenous representation in the profession and addressing healthcare inequities – particularly the low awareness and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

In 2025, Jaris attended the Taikura Summit in Aotearoa New Zealand (hosted by Royal Society Te Apārangi) through the Tri-Academy Partnership on Indigenous Engagement, where they had the opportunity to share this work while connecting with Indigenous scholars from Canada and the Pacific to explore shared barriers Indigenous academics face within institutional systems.

For National Indigenous Peoples Day, Jaris reflects on their experience at the summit, their “accidental” path into academia, and their hopes for the future. Read it: bit.ly/4uT3B4e

06/23/2026

Tomorrow at Youth Programming!! 🌈

Join us! We are welcoming q***r seniors to share experiences, stories and time with us! 🎉

We'll have snacks.

June 24th, 2026.
5:00-7:00 pm
@ OUTSaskatoon's Community Space.

201-245 3rd Avenue South, Saskatoon.

06/23/2026

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. Learn more at: https://skhiv.ca/national-hiv-testing-day/
HIV testing is an important step in knowing your status and making informed decisions about your health. There are various options for HIV testing, including self-testing, standard blood testing, point of care testing and dried blood spot testing. Learn more at: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/diseases-and-conditions/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv/hiv-testing

06/22/2026

Welcome to another MYTH MONDAY! Where we bust some common sexual health myths.

Talking about sexual health does not have to “kill the vibe”.

Many people worry that conversations about boundaries, testing or protection will feel awkward.

It doesn’t need to be a serious script. Small convos still matter.

Open conversations build trust, comfort and confidence. Talking about sexual health can include:
*boundaries
*testing
*protection options
*preferences
*consent

Communication does not need to be perfect to be meaningful. Talking about sexual health with your partner(s), can lead to worrying about STIs less and focusing on pleasure more!

06/20/2026

06/19/2026

As I step into my second year as Executive Director of SSH, my heart is full of gratitude for this community, for the work we do together, and for the remarkable legacy we stand on.

This Pride feels especially meaningful. This year, the history of Saskatoon’s early q***r activists is finally receiving the national recognition it has always deserved, with Canada Post honouring the 1978 Metamorphosis Festival on a commemorative stamp. Considered the first celebration of q***r culture in Western Canada, Metamorphosis was born right here in Saskatoon, organized by brave, visionary people who refused to be invisible. As Lorna Boschman, a performer at that Metamorphosis states, they simply weren’t going to put up with the way they were being treated. They wanted to transform society, and they did! Please take a moment to watch the video about Metamorphosis ‘78, and it’s impact not just in Saskatoon, but across Canada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bY6lfklq54&t=27s

Saskatoon’s contribution to 2SLGBTQAI+ rights has a deep history. But pride is not only about looking back. It’s about carrying that bravery forward. The people who came before us were courageous so that we could live more freely. Now it’s our turn to continue the legacy that the next generation will be proud to inherit.

Thank you to everyone who walks alongside us in that work. Wishing you all a joyful, proud, and meaningful Pride.

See video in our stories. Video is copyright of Canada Post

Images copyright of the Richards Collection, University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections

Happy Pride from all of us at Saskatoon Sexual Health

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

Pride is about access, knowledge, autonomy, community and care. Sexual health support should meet people where they are.

Regular testing is important so you can catch and treat STBBIs early and not pass them on to others.

Honest communication with your health care provider will help them recommend the right testing, screening and vaccination schedule for YOU!

06/18/2026

If public health talks about HIV without naming racism, it protects racism.

If public health talks about access without naming colonialism, it protects colonialism.

If public health talks about “risk” without naming poverty, housing, policing, child welfare, and social assistance, it blames the people harmed by policy.

HIV prevention must be political because HIV vulnerability is political.

Learn more: https://www.villagelab.ca/