Pride 2024 Keynote Speaker – Prof. Kate Krug speaks on Canadian Queer History!

SWNPA Pride 2024 Keynote Speaker Prof. Kate Krug, Chair of the Department of L’nu, Political, and Social Studies at Cape Breton University, is speaking on Canadian Queer history, including stories from her book, Under the Rainbow: A Primer on Queer Issues in Canada.

She has been a Queer activist since she came out as a lesbian in 1983, and this informs her approach to teaching which she sees as a performative, political, and transformative act that can provide the foundation for equity and social justice in the worlds we live in.

Prof. Krug is an engaging storyteller, accomplished academic, and has the activist bona fides to make this an unmissable event!

All ages, free admission, $5 suggested donation.

Transgender Pride Flag creator Monica Helms in Yarmouth – FREE

FREE PUBLIC EVENT

Did you know that 2024 is the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Transgender Pride Flag??

It is with enormous pride and deep gratitude for our queer elders that the Southwest Nova Pride Association (SWNPA) welcomes American author, activist, and veteran Monica Helms, creator of the Transgender Pride Flag, to speak to our community on Friday April 19th, at 7pm, at Beacon United Church in Yarmouth.

Monica is visiting us as part of the International Day of Pink’s 2024 Visibility Anniversaries Tour. SWNPA is thrilled to once again be collaborating with the International Day of Pink after our hugely successful event with Day of Pink and Stonewall activist Martin Boyce last year.

A brief history of Transgender, with Veronica Merryfield

Southwest Nova Pride are thrilled to welcome Veronica Merryfield from the Cape Breton Transgender Network back to Yarmouth for our Pride celebrations!
Veronica will talk about the history of transgender and share her own story with us.
Donations accepted. All welcome.

SWNPA Town Hall Forum & Pride Flag Raising

So, you’re curious about Southwest Nova Pride Association. Who are we, what do we do, why do we do it? Maybe you have questions about your 2SLGBTQIA+ neighbours, or you want to know how to be a better ally, or you’re wondering what’s the deal with pronouns anyway?

Come out to the museum on the 19th of September, and we’ll see if we can set a few questions (if you’ll pardon the expression) straight 😉

All welcome. Flag raising to begin.

Categories
editorial

Voice of the Community: An Open Letter

I came out over 20 years ago and while I was anxious about it, I knew my family would still love me. I was in grade 10? So like 98/99. I knew then that while some folks were still bigoted and there were still kids being kicked out for who they were, things were getting better. As I figured out who I was and found there were so many others like me, I delved into the history and learned about stonewall and anti cross dressing laws and the AIDS crisis and all sorts of things we’ve had to fight and overcome. At that time, I knew that we were safer than we were 10 or 20 years ago. Today I know of more youth that have become homeless because of being queer or trans or both than I ever did in the past. This is alarming. I know that I moved from a larger metropolitan area, to a smaller rural one, but even in Vancouver, where I spend a lot of time in a much larger queer community and where inevitably, we share our coming out stories, I knew where folks were coming from, what they were escaping. Still, here in Southwest Nova Scotia, years later, where I know fewer people in general, I’ve heard way too many terrible stories.

Lately I’ve been scared. I recently learned about a teacher here in an English school that was screamed at and is being threatened because she is standing up and defending gender being in the curriculum and supporting GSAs. Not too much earlier I had heard that the CSAP school board might have been giving instructions to teachers to only instruct kids up to grade 3 abut boys and girls, with no mention of gender diversity in response to threats from some religious radicals. While it’s easy to look at the states and how bad some states are getting, and think oh, this is Canada, we don’t have people like that here, we do and they are emboldened.

I know that some of you are out there, challenging the hate, being visible, creating safe places, sticking your necks out. I see you. Thank you. Please keep doing what you are doing. You may not know the difference you are making in the moment, but you are. You are saving lives.

For those just trying to survive. We got you. Please find us and hopefully feel a little safer, even for a time.

To those that “don’t agree with that lifestyle” or think we are perverts or groomers, I would ask you to look into your hearts and find out for yourself, why do you believe this? What about any of this makes you uncomfortable? Are you able to sit with that for a moment?

For those who believe that queer people not only have a right to exist, but to be known, in the curriculum, to each other, to others, I challenge you to step up. Even in a tiny way. Shut down that bigoted comment, wear that ally pin, voice your support for GSA’s and gender in the school curriculum. The louder you are, the better, but even the slightest action, shows us that you are with us.

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About the author: Mel is non-binary, queer person born and raised in Coast Salish Territories (Tsawwassen) in BC and transplanted to Yarmouth 8 years ago. They live with their two queer kids, wife and husband, 2 cats and a dog and loves playing music in the Yarmouth Community Band, and skating as a founding/board member of Tri-County Roller Derby.

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‘Voice of the Community’ is a new SWNPA initiative designed to platform the diverse voices of our community. Got something on your chest that you’d like to contribute? Our communications team would love to work with you on putting your voice out there. Please get in touch at communications@southwestnovaprideassociation.ca