written by Daniel Nikulin June 24, 2016
Canada’s first ever Pride Month is well underway, culminating in fabulous parades throughout the country in the coming days, weeks and months. Along with the first ever Pride Parade in Toronto 35-years ago, this year’s festivities could arguably be the most important ever.
For all of the advances in civil rights, awareness and acceptance the LGBTQ community has gained over the past 35-years, a stark reminder of how much further there is still to go was viciously brought into spotlight with a single shocking event in Orlando, Florida, mere weeks ago.
There’s no doubt that this year in particular, there will be moments of sadness, reflection and unity amidst all the fun and flag-waving. At the forefront will not just be the rights and acceptance of the community being celebrated but the rights of every individual in attendance and not, as well as another first, our nation’s Prime Minister.
For the first time ever, Justin Trudeau will join Ontario’s first openly-gay Premier, Kathleen Wynn, Toronto Mayor John Tory and over an estimated one million strong participants and spectators on the parade route on July 3rd in Toronto – a testament to the progress we have indeed made as a nation.
What was 35 years ago a colourful afternoon landmark parade grew to be the crowning jewel of Pride Week, a joyous 10-day spectacle. In 2014, Toronto hosted the world’s fourth ever international World Pride event, and this year, the entire month of June has been dedicated to the plight of equality.
Vancouver’s Pride Parade will take place on July 31st and Montreal’s on August 14th and both will surely be as epic.
Toronto’s theme this year, You Can Sit With Us, is not just a tongue-in-cheek response to the iconic line from ‘Mean Girls’, it also celebrates inclusion, a fitting reminder not to just accept those seemingly different but a statement to cement the fact that we are all one.