THUNDER BAY — Some changes are coming to this year’s Pride parade and festival but organizers say what hasn’t changed is the need to protect the human rights of those of all genders and sexual orientations.
“Seeing how fast that decades of work for human rights, and for our rights to marry, and be ourselves, and have healthcare can get stripped away so quickly,” said Scotia Kauppi, the chair of Thunder Pride. Kauppi spoke about increasing hostility and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ legislation being passed worldwide to reporters on Wednesday, after Thunder Bay’s and Fort William First Nation’s Pride flags were raised at city hall.
“That we have to make sure that we not only celebrate where we've come, but make sure we fight to keep it where it is now, and to keep growing it, so everyone can just be who they are.”
Kauppi and a number of other dignitaries spoke prior to Wednesday’s flag-raisings. Several people referenced the recent shooting death of actor Jonathan Joss, who, among other roles, voiced the character of John Redcorn in King of the Hill. Joss’s husband has called his killing a homophobic hate crime.
Closer to home, several Story Time with TBay Drag Queen events have been targeted by threats of violence, prompting police investigations.
“The last two-and-a-half years have been really challenging in this community,” Jason Veltri, the co-founder of the Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay, said. “I've been on the front line of that with our organization and with Thunder Pride.”
“I've been the subject of death threats myself.”
That’s part of why Pride celebrations continue to be so important, Pride leaders said.
“This is where we stand loud and proud and say ‘not in our backyard,’ and that we're going to continue doing the really important work of standing together, flying the colours, and challenging our elected leaders to do better,” Veltri said.
"You can mind your own business and stay out of our doctor's appointments and stay out of our bedrooms, and we'll stay out of yours, because it's personal and private," Kauppi added.
The other goal of Pride celebrations, leaders added, is to have fun and build community.
The flag-raisings on Wednesday helped kick off over a month’s-worth of Pride festivities in Thunder Bay, culminating with the annual Pride parade and festival on July 5. Historically, they’ve taken place on the city’s north side, but this year, Kauppi said, they’re changing things up.
This year’s parade route will start at Patterson Park at the corner of May and Miles Streets with part of the festival taking place there starting at 10 a.m. At noon, the parade route will follow Miles to McKellar Street, then along Victoria Avenue to the Soroptimist International Friendship Gardens where the main festival will happen.
The south side was chosen this year for a number of reasons, Kauppi said.
“Just for accessibility, having it on flat Fort William, a straight shot, having it close to the bus terminal, bus routes, the parkade, and everything here,” they said. “And the fact that the Friendship Gardens also has lots of accessible parking for our vendors and everything.”
“It just was a decision that we decided to make to just change it up, and try and be more accessible for everybody.”
Having the main festival at the Friendship Gardens is also important, Kauppi said.
“For generations, it's been home to, really, diversity, welcoming people, newcomers and immigrants and refugees to Canada and Thunder Bay,” they said.
“We just think that making sure that people who are fleeing, or have come from different backgrounds and countries that aren't accepting of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, to make sure we really reiterate that they're welcome and feel at home here and that we love where they come from.”
