June presents two significant themes we all need to be mindful of.
The first is Pride. Pride is a combination of celebration and political movement all wrapped up in one. It is an opportunity for those in 2SLGBTQ + communities to make a statement about their resilience. Historically, it has been one of the most persecuted. It wasn’t just the Jewish people who were tagged with Stars of David and rounded up by the Nazi regime during the war and put in concentration camps, members of the gay and lesbian community were also tagged with Pink Triangles, and later many met their ends in the gas chambers right alongside those of the Jewish faith.
There is no doubt even in the world today, and in our fairly progressive society in Canada, that members of 2SLGBTQ + communities continue to face prejudice and stigma.
In many parts of the world, members of the community are still criminalized, oppressed and even murdered for their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s why Pride is so important, and why every June people across Alberta, Canada and the world march under the rainbow flag in solidarity for those who still live under oppression and threat.
The other significant theme of note is June is National Indigenous History Month. This is Canada’s own unique sin, and we cannot say the historic oppression of Indigenous peoples through reserves and residential schools in Canada is the burden of any other far away country or regime. It is without a doubt true that First Nations and Indigenous peoples are still one of the groups most discriminated against in the country today.
And yet, the culture of Indigenous peoples has proven resilient, and the capper to the month-long celebration of that culture is National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, coinciding with the Summer Solstice.
We would encourage all Cochranites to seek out opportunities this month to celebrate both Pride and Indigenous culture and history, and the tremendous history of resilience both represent.
