By Sarah Rae

Battlefords LGBTQ group to walk in NB parade

Jul 8, 2016 | 7:00 PM

The local LGBTQ group is preparing to spread a message of self-confidence and acceptance through the city’s parade.

The Battlefords and Area Gender and Sexuality Alliance will be the first LGBTQ group to take part in the Agricultural Society’s annual parade in August. Group founder Kay-Lynne Collier said she wants to walk in the parade to show the community that not only her organization, but the whole LGBTQ community in the Battlefords exists.

“We’re here and we’re always going to be here,” she said. “There’s always going to be queer people in the community and I think it would be good for people to have that reminder.”

Collier said the parade’s theme this year in “fun in the sun,” so the group is going to do a variation of that with the slogan “every body is a beach body.”

She said people often feel apprehensive about wearing swimsuits and other summer clothing if they don’t have stereotypical beach-ready bodies, so the group wants to send the message that no matter what you look like, you can still feel good about yourself.

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She said that apprehensiveness is often especially true for transgender people, who may not be comfortable going to the beach if their bodies don’t stereotypically match their gender identities.

“We’re just trying to challenge that idea and come up with something that you can be whoever you want to be and still go to the beach and still have fun,” she said.

The group is going to try to spread self confidence in all body shapes by being in the parade wearing whatever they normally wear to the beach and being decked out with rainbow pride flags.

Collier said fellow pride group OUTSaskatoon based in the city is going to come to North Battleford to walk in the parade as well. She said OUTSaskatoon has been really supportive of her starting a local group and wants to show support for LGBTQ groups in smaller communities.

The Battlefords may also see their very own pride parade soon, according to Collier. She said plans are in progress for a parade next June.

Editor’s Note: This article was edited to correct an error. The Saskatoon-based pride group is called OUTSaskatoon. 

Sarah Rae is battlefordsNOW’s court and crime reporter. She can be reached at Sarah.Rae@jpbg.ca or tweet her @sarahjeanrae. Concerns regarding this story can be addressed to News Director Geoff Smith at 306-446-6397.