June is Pride Month, right across the country.
As a nation we have much to be “proud” about. Some of it’s symbolism and some of it’s substantial, but all of it speaks of a culture that is determined to be inclusive.
Canada was the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2005, and two years ago Justin Trudeau became the first sitting prime minister to march in the Toronto Pride Parade.
Also in 2016, the first pride flag was raised at Parliament Hill, and last year the Human Rights Act was updated to include gender identity and gender expression.
Progress - and sadly sometimes backwards steps - is made every day.
Support groups are formed and fostered, members of the LGBT community make the news as they increasingly take centre stage in sports, arts and politics. (Won’t it be nice, though, when we no longer think of a premier or star athlete, or a church bishop, as the “first” open gay or transgendered individual “anything?”)
There are many ways local governments can support Pride Month, and indeed can promote and celebrate diversity all year long.
Rainbow crosswalks, of course, are all the rage - although they still are sometimes attached to controversy.
Princeton was one of the first small communities in BC to install a rainbow crosswalk, in 2015. While the only thing wrong with that was the paint disappeared in approximately six months, there are - sigh - still some local residents who haven’t quite recovered.
There are other ways the town and its residents could show support for the LGBT community.
For example, rainbow painting or decals on all the signs at town entrances would be a fabulous (also quick-to-execute and inexpensive) initiative to show visitors they are entering an inclusive, friendly, caring community.
Who knows, maybe that would encourage them to stop and visit.
Rainbow banners on downtown light poles would brighten the main street in the summer and, of course, there ought to be a flag at town hall.
Simple gestures with a power message - and it’s Pride Month for another nine days.
- The Similkameen Spotlight