The Pride flag was waving high above Cochrane on Sunday to show the town’s support for the LGBTQIA2S+ community, just in time for a week chock-full of Pride celebrations.
The message shared at the third annual flag-raising ceremony at the Cochrane RancheHouse on Aug. 21 was one of inclusion and awareness. Even 17 years after the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals are still subject to discrimination and inequalities here, and across the world.
Pride can mean different things to different people, but for BGC Cochrane and Area youth programs manager Nola Hume, it boils down to equal rights and opportunities.
“I consider myself an ally to the LGBTQ community,” she said in a speech at the ceremony. “What that means to me and what pride means to me is that it’s not always about rainbows and parties – what it means to me is equality.”
Despite some progressive measures, it is still considered illegal to be gay in over 60 countries across the globe. This creates barriers around marriage opportunities, jobs, travel and in some cases, even the right to live.
“We need to stand up for equality and people need to be accepted for who they are, how they identify, how they express themselves and who they love,” said Hume.
Jeremy Hall, team lead for BGC’s youth programs and a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, thanked those in attendance at the ceremony for helping to create a safe space in the town for everyone.
“I hope this event serves as a reminder that you are loved and you’re accepted just the way you are,” he said to attendees in his speech. “These events, and Pride Week, serve an incredibly important purpose.
“I’m guessing that many of you are feeling echoes of your own story, or the stories of people you know and love, through my experience.”
Earlier in his address, Hall spoke about his upbringing and the eventual realization that his true self had been repressed throughout much of his adolescence.
“It was farther into adulthood before I started to realize who I truly was,” he said. “For me to break out of that mindset brought me so much freedom, but it also brought so much grief and heartache as well because I had to cut myself off from almost every support system.
“I knew that, for me, accepting the truth about who I truly was, was worth every bit of the cost and every bit of the pain that came along with it.
“I’m guessing that many of you are feeling echoes of your own story, or the stories of people you know and love, through my experience.”
Hall said Pride-centric events are invaluable to understanding the experiences of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
“It’s a chance to see that we aren’t alone," he said. "We can look around and see so many people that have stories similar to our own.”
Without those opportunities, Hall added, important discussions can fall to the wayside.
“A flag-raising, gay gamer groups, a drag show, a Pride open mic tonight – none of these things on their own are going to end hate,” he said. “But at the same time, they create spaces for our community to start the conversations that lead to change.”
Also speaking at the ceremony was Town of Cochrane Coun. Tara McFadden, currently acting as Deputy Mayor.
McFadden said when she realized she would have the opportunity to attend the flag-raising on behalf of Mayor Jeff Genung and the rest of council, she was more than happy to oblige.
In addition to sharing a story of what Pride means to her, the long-time councillor gave a shoutout to the community groups in Cochrane that help make celebrating the town’s LGBTQIA2s+ population possible through the various events planned throughout the week.
“Pride Week allows us to celebrate that ability to be accepted for who you are,” she said to the crowd. “I’m really glad to celebrate this with you today, both with my family and also on behalf of Mayor and council – we’re glad to support this.”
The flag-raising began with a land acknowledgment and was to be followed by an Indigenous elder’s blessing, however, the elder couldn’t attend.
This year, Cochrane will host its first-ever Pride parade on Wednesday (Aug. 24) on 1 St. E, through Historic Downtown, beginning at 1 p.m. A list of other events can be found at cochranetoday.ca/local-news/cochrane-pride-week-celebrations-kick-off-sunday-with-flag-raising-ceremony-5718009.
