Opinions
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What is Winnipeg Pride? |
Dear Ate Anna:
People at work were talking about Winnipeg Pride. What is that?
Signed,
A Reader
Dear Reader:
Thank you for your question. Pride is a festival that celebrates gender and sexual diversity, including members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Pride festivals are hosted around the world, and there are a number of communities in Manitoba that will have Pride Festivals this summer. Steinbach, Portage La Prairie, Flin Flon, Brandon, and Winnipeg will host Pride festivals this year. Winnipeg Pride is hosting a number of activities starting on May 24th, and will continue to the weekend festival held on June 1st to 3rd at the Forks.
Pride is an important time for people of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, their friends and their families. The initials “2SLGBTQ+” describe different gender and sexual identities. Some words that may sound familiar are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, and queer. These are identities that people have based on their understanding of their own gender and sexuality.
For many of us, these words and these ideas might be new and unfamiliar, and this is okay. The important thing to remember is that people are allowed to decide for themselves who they are and how they identify. If you have more questions about 2SLGBTQ+ you can access our website at www.serc.mb.ca for resources on this topic.
Pride is an important time for people of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, their friends and their families. In many ways people who are 2SLGBTQ+ are discriminated against because of whom they love and how they express their gender. For example, a transgender worker might be bullied at their workplace, or a lesbian woman might not be accepted by her family. There are a lot of misunderstandings and wrong ideas about the 2SLGBTQ+ community. There is nothing wrong with being 2SLGBTQ+; these identities are normal and healthy. 2SLGBTQ+ individuals are just like any other individual who wants to live a safe, healthy and fulfilling life.
The Manitoba Pride festivals allow time and space for the 2SLGBTQ+ community to get together, celebrate their uniqueness, and build understanding about gender and sexual identity around the province. Everyone is welcome to attend these events, and there is an expectation that everyone who attends acts respectfully and supportively to the people around them.
More information on Winnipeg Pride can be found online at www.pridewinnipeg.com, or in the Pride Guides, which can be found at the Rainbow Resource Centre, or in many libraries around the city. We hope you have a good time celebrating Pride this year, and celebrating those of the 2SLGBT+ community.
Have a fun Pride!
Ate Anna
Ate Anna welcomes your questions and comments. Please write to: Ate Anna, Suite 200-226 Osborne St. N., Winnipeg, MB R3C 1V4 or e-mail, info@serc.mb.ca. Visit us at www.serc.mb.ca. for reliable information and links on the subject of sexuality.