By Courtney Almeida

LGBTQ+

Local LGBTQ+ groups react to Edmonton Pride Festival cancellation

Apr 16, 2019 | 12:00 PM

After reports surfaced last week about the cancellation of the 2019 Edmonton Pride Festival, local LGBTQ+ groups are speaking out about the controversial topic. The Pride Society of Grande Prairie says this year’s Swan City festivities are still on track and the Gay and Lesbian Association of the Peace wants to ensure that the public has access to local resources during this time.

The Pride Society of Grande Prairie tells Everything GP that they were “shocked” to learn about the news from Edmonton Pride.

“It’s been an institutional event for many, many years. A lot of people from our region go there to support and participate and so we’re obviously saddened on a group level that an event of that magnitude has been cancelled but also on a personal level, because we enjoyed going and participating and really being able to collectively from a Provincial level in Edmonton, really support and show the importance of pride,” says Lloyd Fischer, Board of Directors for the Pride Society of Grande Prairie.

Grande Prairie Pride 2019 is scheduled to take place June 14-15. The Pride Society of Grande Prairie has several events planned which include a teen dance at GPRC, a family carnival at the Eastlink Centre (free of charge) and the annual “Party in White” to be held at Maddhatters.

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“This event is great for us. It helps put the North on the map. It lets people know that Grande Prairie is a diverse community that has people from all walks of life, all different shapes, sizes, colours, and we’re happy to be a part of that,” said Fischer.

Fisher wants to ensure that Swan City residents understand that, “Pride isn’t just for people who identify in the spectrum, it’s for everyone. We invite friends, family, everybody to come out and support equality. Support diversity and really just have a great time.”

After learning about the Edmonton event cancellations, Fischer says that the Pride Society of Grande Prairie has “already extended an invitation to our friends in Edmonton to come join us. If they’re not able to participate and have the events in their city, they’re more than welcome to come here to Grande Prairie and enjoy ours.”

Organizers of the Edmonton Pride Festival have cited the “current political and social environment” as the reason behind the decision to cancel the June festival.

Derrick Chang, Board Member with the Gay and Lesbian Association of the Peace says, “walking into these elections, [LGBTQ+ members are] facing considerable anxieties.”

He says that “there’s some anxiety around the current political climate in Alberta that’s very different from maybe the rest of the country.”

The Gay and Lesbian Association of the Peace works to ensure that people in the LGBTQ+ community in Grande Prairie and surrounding areas have the social supports and Human Resources that they need.

“We provide everything from basic social supports to just an ear to listen to. We’re also hoping to open that up to actually providing more human resources in the form of counselling, also supports to families and parents of LGBTQ youth who are experiencing difficulties accessing resources or education to support their children,” said Chang.

The non-profit group is currently looking to reinvigorate their organization. They are looking for an influx of new members to help uplift the community and work to launch new initiatives.

Chang notes that, “you don’t have to identify as LGBTQ+” to join the Board. “The plus is kind of to include our straight allies as well, and we welcome board members who are also straight allies because we’re inclusive and intersectional as a community.”

The Gay and Lesbian Association of the Peace will be looking for people who can commit 3 hours, once a month to the organization.

The group will be hosting their annual general meeting to elect new members April 17 at the Community Village, Building C (North Entrance). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Board governance training is provided by a third party and childcare is offered on-site for participants during meetings. For more information visit the GALAP website.

“It’s important to remember that these are really people. These aren’t just statistics or numbers that your reading about in other communities. This could be your brother, your niece, your nephew. This could be your father, your mother for all we know. Grande Prairie has a little bit of work that we need to do but I would say that could be said about anybody and that we’re certainly on the path to getting to where we need to be,” said Fischer.