With Pride season underway, organizers say that Pride festivals and events are safe to attend and are important for building 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion – despite increased challenges coming from increased anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate.
OTTAWA, June 5, 2023. — Amidst a climate of rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate in Canada and around the world, Fierté Canada Pride — Canada’s network of Pride organizations — has received a $1.5 million investment that will support anti-hate measures for Pride festivals. From small festivals to the largest in the country, prides across Canada are encountering rising costs due to increased incidents of hate. This funding from the federal Department of Women and Gender Equality will be distributed by Fierté Canada Pride in order to offset these increased costs for Pride festivals.
Over the coming days, Fierté Canada Pride will announce the details around the funding, which will support increased infrastructure costs, emergency and security-related costs, and costs for community safety such as volunteer training.
“For our local Pride in Timmins, we are seeing more hate than ever before. It is unacceptable that progress in human rights is backsliding — and that’s why it is so important to host Pride events, and have strong attendance,” said Julie DeMarchi, who is both President of Fierté Canada Pride and the Founder and Treasurer of Fierté Timmins Pride. “Pride is a time to gather with joy, love, and radical acceptance, and this new fund will help ensure this remains possible. We are encouraging everyone to come to Pride, and support local 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations in any way they can by either donating or volunteering.”
Over the past few years, rising incidents of hate targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities have created increased challenges for Prides, which led to the creation of this fund.
“We would like to thank Minister Ien and the Government of Canada for this crucial investment,” said Alessandro Iachelli, Executive Director of Fierté Canada Pride. “While this funding is one immediate part of responding to this pressing issue, more needs to be done, and Fierté Canada Pride will continue to work with all levels of government on anti-hate and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion work. While we celebrate Pride, we must remember that our focus is to ensure that every 2SLGBTQIA+ person in Canada should be able to be safe, respected, and able to thrive.”
Pride season is already in full swing, and while some Pride organizations have experienced increased backlash, Pride events are safe to attend and an important part of fostering 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion.
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Media contact
Kathryn LeBlanc
kathryn@leblancandco.ca
873-355-1720
ABOUT FIERTÉ CANADA PRIDE: Fierté Canada Pride (FCP) is the national association of Canadian Pride organizations, membership-based and governed by volunteers. The main goal of FCP is to promote gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and two-spirited Prides on a national level. Our mission is to help build vibrant and strong Canadian Pride organizations through collaboration, offering support, networking, helping to develop a national identity of Pride, and by offering resources and advocacy for its members.
