Gay Pride in YYC

The following article was written by AIDS Calgary’s HIV Education and Awareness Today (HEAT) outreach worker.

Pride 2012 was my third year of being involved in the planning and presenting of our Pride activities. The previous two years of 2010-11 were very different experiences than the one I had the pleasure of this year as we underwent a different way of involvement and activities.

This year was a bit different from previous years in that we did not partner with another agency nor did we include a float for the parade as part of Pride activities. Instead we created an internal working group of staff to ensure we had the best presence possible for promoting our agency and services, volunteer opportunities at AIDS Calgary, the upcoming AIDS Walk 2012 at Eau Claire September 23rd, 2012, the HEAT program and the opportunity to participate in and enjoy the activities that come with the annual Pride Festival and dances.

This year we had an information booth at the dance and showed off our new display from the Safer Sexy Campaign we developed in partnership with Gay and MSM launched at Pride 2011. We followed up with 2 booths at the Pride festival, each designed with a specific theme. One booth focused on the AIDS Walk and Volunteer program while my HEAT booth focused on Gay and MSM specific information and of course all the safer sex supplies required regardless of gender or orientation.

Our booth proved to be VERY popular as a result of our cool swag bags and other supplies, the crave cupcakes being sold next to us in another booth and of course our greatest promo item, our volunteer mascot “Captain Condom” who corralled, chased down, funneled and enticed people to come in and check out us out. Big thanks to a great volunteer “dick” who hung out the entire day of the festival. We would appreciate any pictures you have of our mascot at Pride please. I also had the pleasure of having other great volunteers from our agency who joined us in the tent and provided information, answered questions and gave never ending dental dam, condom and female condom demonstrations throughout the day.

It was busy, WINDY as could be for set up, and an absolute joy of a day to be involved with as over 375 people went through our booth, over 400 condom packs and other supplies handed out and a great was to spend a Sunday afternoon Pride celebration in Calgary.

Special thanks to my organizing committee members, our incredible volunteers for preparing items and working the day of the event for us, the pride Calgary organizing committee and their volunteers and of course YOU CALGARY who joined us in celebrating the diversity and Pride that our GREAT city has to offer! Cheers and see you all again next year for Pride 2013.

Pride 2011 around the world

This summer one of AIDS Calgary’s Case Managers, Christa Kahl, was able to attend Pride events in three different areas; Paris, Vancouver and of course, Calgary. Here she recounts her experiences at all three Pride Parades and discusses how Pride around the world celebrates the same message: our diversity makes us stronger. To view more of Christa’s photos from her Pride adventure, click here.

PARIS

I had been planning my trip to Paris for some time and was excited to learn that the Paris Pride Parade would be happening while I was there. I had been to a Pride Parade in Calgary over ten years ago and was excited to see what Paris would have in store. As soon as I landed, I made my way to my hostel and then went in search for the event.

The street was lined with people from all walks of life who had come to take part in Paris Pride. As the parade began to make its way down the road, it was clear that I needed to squeeze my way up front to get a good view of the floats and people in the parade. I was amazed by all of the different groups that were represented in the parade. There were groups for transgendered/transsexuals, bisexuals, asexuals, gay and lesbian groups. There was representation of people who are deaf and in the LGBTQ community, Jewish LGBTQ, multinational groups and more. I saw some of the most beautiful transgendered women and was amazed at the turn out of Paris youth that walked with the parade. There was an HIV/AIDS group called Sida Info Service that provides a lot of information, education and assistance regarding HIV and AIDS available in both French and English.

In France, gay marriage is still not legal and that was a big theme of the parade. Many in the parade carried signs that said “In 2011 I march and in 2012 I vote.” It will be interesting to see what happens next year. The streets were shut down and a huge stage was set up with DJs and some vocalists. Everyone was dancing in the street and making their way onto the parties that were happening in the gay friendly district of Marais. All in all it was a pretty great experience and a great welcome to Paris.

VANCOUVER

On July 31 of this year, Vancouver’s Gay Pride Parade took place down the hill from Davie Street, along the ocean. The parade started off with Dykes on Bikes, followed by various corporate sponsors, AIDS Vancouver , bagpipers, Pride Calgary was also represented and more. I enjoyed seeing a number of families from the very young to the elderly in attendance to support the Pride community in Vancouver. On the Friday before the parade, the Davie Street Festival took place which provided street entertainment various themed parties at some of Vancouver’s nightclubs.

CALGARY

That brings us home. This past Sunday was the Calgary Pride Parade and it was great to see so many people out for the event! The parade started at Olympic Plaza and made its way down Stephen Avenue and ended at the Shaw Millennium Skate Park. Mayor Nenshi attended and as our city’s first Mayor to lead the Pride parade. Other politicians were also in attendance, along with LGBTQ supporters/groups and of course AIDS Calgary, in partnership with Calgary Sexual Health. The great weather really brought out the crowds and the AIDS Calgary and Calgary Sexual Health float handed out over 1350 condom packs within the first four blocks of the parade! There is a lot of buzz in the air that this year’s Pride was the most attended of all time and it will be exciting to see the turn out next year.

After participating in all three different Pride adventures around the world, it was remarkable to see just how similar we all embrace our community’s diversity. From AIDS Service Organizations to politicians, it seems that from Canada, all the way to France, we are all striving to achieve human equality.

There are still events going on throughout the city until September 11, so if you were unable to attend the parade you can check out Pride Calgary for more information. Thank you to everyone who came by the AIDS Calgary booth and we look forward to seeing a great turn out for our upcoming Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life!

Sources

1.Inter-LGBT, (2011). Retrieved August 1, 2011 from: http://www.inter-lgbt.org/

2. Sida Info Service, (2011). Retrieved July 25, 2011 from: http://www.sida-info-service.org/

3. Sida Info Service, English Version, (2011). Retrieved August 17, 2011 from http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.sida-info-service.org/&ei=1NtLTr_xDabliAKkz5iOAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsida%2Binfo%2Bservice%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26prmd%3Divns

4. Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival, (2011). Retrieved August 1, 2011 from: http://www.vancouverpride.ca/

5. AIDS Vancouver, (2011). Retrieved August 17, 2011 from: http://aidsvancouver.org/

6. Pride Calgary, (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011 from: http://www.pridecalgary.ca/

7. Calgary Sexual Health, (2011). Retrieved September 7, 2011 from: http://www.calgarysexualhealth.ca/

8. Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life, (2011). Retrieve September 7, 2011 from: http://www.aidscalgary.org/events/aidswalkforlife/registerpledge.cfm