While there is no shortage of Pride events across the nation as more cities and towns support the LGBTQ community, it is a special thing when your own city takes the step to officially acknowledge the movement.
Last weekend, St. Albert joined the list of cities and towns in Alberta to hold events showing support and inclusiveness to people who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender or queer. This first-time event, which is hoped to be an annual undertaking, put a local flavour on Pride celebrations and provided an intimate venue for the St. Albert LGBTQ community and its supporters.
Approximately 250 people, including provincial and city political dignitaries, attended the Saturday event at Lions Park and we hope to see more of the community come out to show its support as St. Albert Pride gains momentum in coming years.
A lot of effort has been made over the years to support the LGBTQ community across Canada. Since 2005, every province and territory has legalized same-sex marriage. Back in 1969, under the direction of then-justice minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Canada showed its progressiveness when it decriminalized same-sex sexual activity after Everett George Klippert, a gay man living in Northwest Territories, was handed a life sentence in 1965 for being a dangerous sex offender. He became the last person to be charged for being homosexual and was released in 1971.
Since Trudeau’s famous words, “There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation,” Canada has been the fastest nation in the Americas in terms of recognizing the rights of people who identify as part of the LGBTQ community.
That progress does not lessen the need of Pride events such as the one held in our city. According to Statistics Canada, in 2014, 13 per cent of hate crimes across the country – 185 incidents– were motivated by hatred of sexual orientation. While that number might seem low, it only represents the number of cases reported. Also, of the hate crime incidents related to sexual orientation, 67 per cent were noted for being violent offences – the most of any other hate-related offence.
We also can’t forget the near setback that would have occurred had the former provincial government’s amendments to Bill 10 had been allowed to pass and effectively infringe on the rights of youth to establish gay straight alliances at schools. The backward thinking of those politicians serves as an example that there is still much work to be done in terms of fully recognizing all human rights.
Proclaiming Pride Week in the city is an important step in recognizing the city’s LGBTQ community and aiding the support networks that already exist, such as the Outloud youth group.
While the week might be over, we hope St. Albertans continue to show their Pride well into the future.
