Sudbury Pride launches milestone year
This year marks 25 years of pride in Greater Sudbury. For many people, it’s a week of coming together, finding strength within the community and speaking up for changes the organization says still needs to happen.
“The political climate this year and the past couple of years has been really difficult to navigate,” said Sudbury Pride chair Katlyn Kotila.
“There have been a lot of people who have been trying to counter-protest and basically say that we shouldn’t be existing, we shouldn’t be out and loud and proud, and so there is a little bit of concern, of course, for the future. But I think the showing we had here today for our opening ceremonies does show that there is huge support here in this community.”
Pride week includes around 30 events, including a live panel on sex and money and a sexual health clinic. There is also a youth prom, a community awards gala and the group plans to honour history with a pride march.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible experience,” said Kotila.
“I think COVID was very isolating for a lot of members of our community and so this is a great chance for members of our community to get together once again and to really feel that sense of community and belonging.”
Laur O’Gorman, vice-chair of Sudbury Pride, also reflected on the past 25 years, noting that they were at the first pride march 25 years ago.
“I marched for part of it, but I was really young and anything about being queer, being gay, in any respect was very scary back then so it’s not a thing that most people really tended to understand about themselves until they were older,” O'Gorman said.
This year marks 25 years of Pride in Sudbury and officials are looking back on its history and forward to its future.
“It just wasn’t even a possibility to understand that you were gay at 12 years old when I was growing up.”
Although there is a focus this year on Pride’s history in the city, it was also the chance to look forward to the future and the next generation.
“I knew that I was not cis-gender, I knew that I was not straight since I was maybe about 13, 14 and I jumped from label to label because I didn’t know what I was,” said Quinn Wemigwans who identifies as two-spirit and spoke at Monday’s launch event.
“It came to finding a forum online about two-spirit identity and that was really what sparked it inside of me ... I always wanted to be a voice for those who never had one. It’s important to speak for those who are before us and for those in the future."
This year’s Pride Week officially kicked off with the raising of a flag at city hall. A group of people on hand said they are ready to stand proud, no matter what.
“We’ve really started to understand that it’s not necessarily self-care that we need to focus on, it’s community care,” said O’Gorman.
“We need the connections. You can do all of the self-care in the world, but if you’re not meeting with other people who make you feel good about yourself and who help show you that you’re a valuable person and that you’re normal, then you’re missing a huge piece of what you need to be mentally well.”
A full list of pride events can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.