By Katherine Svenkeson

First Gay Pride Weekend coming to the Battlefords

Mar 26, 2017 | 4:00 PM

Gay Pride events are held all over the country, and for the first time the Battlefords will be holding one of its own.

The event is being put on by the Battlefords and Area Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), and president Kay-Lynne Collier said it’s something she has wanted to organize for a while.

“I think that the community is becoming more and more respective of these things as the years go on, and I think it will be a really exciting thing,” Collier said. “Pride is a really community-focused event that everyone can attend so we’re really wanting to just bring everyone together and in an accepting and positive way.”

Collier said they hope to hold the event on the last weekend in July, and while things are still in the early planning stages there are a few things on her list she wants to include such as a parade, a pride flag rising at city hall, face painting, a church memorial for transgendered Canadians who’ve been killed and a panel discussion where people can ask LGBTQ members of the community questions they may have.

“I think that there are lots of misconceptions out there about certain things, so I think that having a group of people that are willing to answer questions will be really great,” Collier said. “I want to get a variety of different people… people that have grown up in the Battlefords and [know] what it’s like to be LGBTQ.”

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While some pride events around the country may be solely adult-friendly, that won’t be the case for Battlefords upcoming Pride celebration.

“We want to make sure that everyone can be comfortable with it, and I know there’s always this misconception that LGBTQ events are always not going to be kid-friendly, but they totally can be,” Collier said. “There will be lots of stuff for kids to do.”

The GSA is also hoping to make as many events as they can free or low-cost, so everyone can attend.

“I think that it’s a really good opportunity for people who maybe aren’t so open to learn new things and make connections with people in their community,” Collier said. “There’s kind of been a reputation of hostility in this city towards LGBTQ people, but it definitely is getting better so I’m excited just to see how well this goes.”

Katherine.svenkeson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ksvenkeson

by Katherine Svenkeson

First Gay Pride Weekend coming to the Battlefords

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