Pride Villager
Middlesex, Oxford and Elgin Counties
Issue #7 Fall 2021
Beyond Pride Month What does LGBT2Q+ mean?
• Create supportive and inclusive spaces. • Lift up LGBT2Q+ stories, and creators – especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) creators. • Invest in mental health resources for the LGBT2Q+ community, especially for youth. • Advocate with intersectionality. • Support political candidates and elected officials who champion LGBT2Q+ issues. • Spend your money in places that support equality, inclusion and diversity. (The LGBTQ+ Community has $3.7 Trillion In purchasing power globally.) It’s not just about raising a rainbow flag once a year. As a whole we must continue to work on this every month of the year and every day of the week, collectively and individually. The LGBT2Q community is not asking for preferential treatment. Rather, they are asking for recognition of their basic human rights—to feel safe in their own bodies and to freely navigate this world without a threat to their humanity. The LGBT2Q community is asking for solidarity because, while made great strides over the years, there is still a long way to go—but we can get there together. These recommendations are a great way to get started. Pride is year-round, ongoing and forever changing.
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, 2 Spirit (Indigenous people who identify as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit), Queer and the + includes everyone who identifies as being part of the community as the community works towards creating an inclusive and diverse environment. In the Beginning… The Stonewall riots, June 28, 1969, (also referred to as the Stonewall uprising or the Stonewall rebellion) were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT2Q+) community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT2Q+ rights. Pride Month started in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots. Then in 2015/2016, Pride Toronto lobbied the Federal Government to declare June as Pride Month. It has been declared as Pride Month since June 2016. Momentum has grown since then, many organizations, towns, cities, municipalities and countries alongside large corporations around the world now recognizes June as Pride Month. Communities across Canada celebrate Pride at different times. There is something going on somewhere in Canada from the first of June until the end of September and there are many more. Did you know? • Did you know that LGBT2Q youth face approximately fourteen times the risk of suicide and substance abuse then their heterosexual peers? • Did you know that 77% of homeless youth in Ontario are transgender? • Did you know that one in four LGBT2Q people (23%) have experienced discriminatory or negative remarks against them by healthcare staff? • Did you know that LGBT2Q people are double the rick for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) then their heterosexual counterparts? • Did you know that almost one in five LGBT2Q people (18 %) have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives? • Did you know that more half of the LGBT2Q community (52%) experienced depression in the last year? • Did you know that transgender youth who had supportive families experienced a 93% reduction in suicide attempts over one year, compared to transgender youth who did not have supportive families? What can you do? • Educate yourself, your family and your community. • At work identify your pronouns, support inclusive parental policies, support and participate in employee resources groups.
Be inclusive and support your Rainbow community.
Sal Hill (He/Him, She/Her) is a two-spirited artist and speaker from Oneida Nation of the Thames, a First Nations settlement located on the outskirts of Middlesex county. His work outside of the freelance art world includes participating in several Indigenous focused panels, and speaking about Two-Spirit history. Her inspiration behind this particular piece is the contemporary Indigenous art style known as woodland that uses organic shapes, flowing lines and bold colours. The colour palette
references the Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans flags, with a medicine wheel surrounded by sweet grass placed in the center of the art work. The forms flow into each other and gently embrace one another to show the intersectionality, unity and gentleness of Indigenous peoples love and spirits. To see more of Sal’s art go to Instagram: lutolats
PRIDE Villager
Issue 7 • Fall 2021 Page 2
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Pride Understanding
This past year has seen a dramatic increase in children’s mental health. Not only has the pandemic left families isolated without a community net to support their parenting, the gap to care has also widened, with wait lists for help having increased. Since COVID-19, almost sixty per cent of parents have noted behavioural changes in their children, ranging from outbursts or extreme irritability to drastic changes in mood, behaviour or personality, altered sleeping patterns, persistent sadness and more. (report from Children’s Mental Health Ontario 2020) M.I.understanding, in partnership with five London organi- zations, has developed a new online program for families to help children build resiliency. The "MI friends" program provides children with a comfort toy (named Poppy), while connecting families to an online video/ activity program, giving parents strategies, tools, resources, and suggestions on how to support their child as they learn to self-regulate. Poppy’s role is to help families develop strategies, start a conversation, and bridge the gap to care with tools to strengthen educational and medical support. The program was developed with the experts at The Mary J Wright Child and Youth Development Clinic at Western University and will drive future research and development around children’s mental health. Cost can be a barrier to many families seeking support- M.I.understanding wants this to be a program that is accessible to any family seeking assistance. Working in partnership with Optimist Clubs and community partners, there is no cost to families interested in accessing this program.
Donations are always welcome so as many families as possible can be supported. Families needing a program can contact M.I.understanding: info@miunderstanding.ca, or one of our local participating Optimist Club: The Kids Mental Health Optimist Club of Canada / The Rainbow Optimists of Southwestern Ontario If you would like to help continue to create a community of support for families by sponsoring a Poppy for a family in need, and/ or making a donation, please visit the M.I. Friends page at: www.miunderstanding.ca
Questions?
Concerns?
Contact YOUR Member of Parliament 519.663.9777 Peter Fragiskatos.ca
PRIDE Villager
Issue 7 • Fall 2021 Page 3 To advertise here, please contact Barb@VillagerPublications.com
RecommendedReading by Woodstock Public Library Adult
harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courts—until a series of murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world. Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If that’s not bad enough, there’s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. RecommendedReading by Oxford County Library Adult The House in the
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique
herself. Why her? Why now? This Hollywood glam story is told using the deep underlying emotions of a woman who demands to be seen for who she is. As we follow Evelyn through peaks of public stardom and valleys of personal lost love her irredeemable spirit is one of self-actualization. Each chapter
Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a magical, heartwarming contemporary fantasy filled with secrets and a dangerous task. A lonely case worker, who manages orphaned magical beings, receives a secret
slowly reveals details of a complex life lived with secrets as Evelyn shares her unapologetic story with a young reporter Monique who was chosen with a final purpose in mind. Young Adult A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived on Earth, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no
assignment to visit an orphanage on an island. Readers will enjoy the charming characters, magic, and whimsy, but will most enjoy the experience of finding an unlikely family, and maybe even love. Young adult She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
A high school rivalry leads to love in this YA romantic comedy. Scottie and Irene start as enemies, but after a fender-bender, and a forced friendship by their mo- thers, the two form an unlikely friendship which ultimately leads to a romantic spark. Readers will enjoy this laugh-out-loud romp through the highs and lows of high school romances. D I SCOVER ou r GRASSROUTES
PRIDE Villager
Page 4 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Oxford Pride by Tami Murray, President Oxford County Pride Commmittee Oxford Pride 2021 was a challenge for the Oxford Pride team given the circumstances of COVID 19; However once again the committee took on new learning curves with success in providing an amazing day of family fun, diverse story telling, and incredibly talented 2SLGBTQAI+ individuals. We were grateful to have the musical talent of Darcy Fever, kickboxing and yoga demo’s, drumming by WingNuts, and Drag king talents via the Gutterboyz, and more. The Rainbow Optimist Club once again partnered with Oxford/Woodstock libraries in presenting Drag Storytime. We are happy to recognize a significant increase in community, business and organizational participation which included several fund-raising events, video participation and the online pet rainbow picture contest/Rainbow rock scavenger hunt throughout our community. The Pride Committee is currently planning a Drive in Drag September 24th, 2021 via the Woodstock Drive Inn, stay tuned for more details. 2021 has brought the Oxford Pride committee amazing growth with several new members expanding our goals of inclusivity and diversity. We are proud to announce that our rainbow crosswalk has been completed in the downtown Woodstock ON, thank you to our sponsors Oxford Futures Grant and the Rainbow Optimist Club donation. It is our hope that OxfordPride 2022will bring in person opportunities for events as we are looking forward to providing a hybrid model in the future, hosting a combination of online and in person community connections. If your interested in more information or would like view our 2021 Oxford Pride events check out our videos, 2021 Pride guide and amazing sponsors @ www.oxfordpride.ca.
Living together? Make it legal! License your pet. All cats and dogs must be licensed by law. Licensing helps save animals’ lives. • Lost pets are returned home • Helps to fund animal services programs • Homeless pets get adopted
London Animal Care Centre • 121 Pine Valley Blvd, London • www.accpets.ca 519-685-1330 • Facebook.com/LondonAnimalCare Please do you part! Contact us to license your pet Lo don Animal Ca Centre • 121 Pine Valley Blvd, London www.accpets.ca 529-685-1330 • Facebook.com/LondonAnimalCare
PRIDE Villager
Page 5 Issue 7 • Fall 2021 To advertise here, please contact Barb@VillagerPublications.com
From the Journal of Rev. Laurie Nevin: This is what I know to be true about Love today... Love is indescribable because it goes infinitely beyond intellectual understanding. The body can feel it and "think" it knows it, but the Love I write about goes even beyond all that. As a result of experiencing what love is NOT, the intimate awareness of what Love IS can arise. So here are some musings on Love which are percolating within. Love doesn't judge right from wrong or good from bad. It doesn't play games with hearts by dismissing or abandoning on purpose. Love is kind and sees All equally. In fact, It sees Itself in All. No need for stories or definitions to create hurtful dramas. No more specialness or self-centeredness. Love is innocent, pure and free of mental movies. It is the essence and existence of All that is. It is the true Identity of every being and rides on every breath. Love allows All like a blue sky allowing any weather pattern to pass through. It doesn't gain or lose anything because it is a limitless and changeless Source. Love is always freely flowing as a verb and not as a noun. It
“Let’s Talk Love”
cannot be owned, possessed, or controlled. Where there is Love; there is Life.
You are welcome to a “free consultation to chat with ‘RevNev’ about love and any questions you may wish any support with”.
Supporting London’s LGBTQ2+ Community
Teresa Armstrong MPP London—Fanshawe 519-668-1104 tarmstrong-co@ndp.on.ca
Terence Kernaghan MPP London North Centre 519-432-7339 tkernaghan-co@ndp.on.ca
Peggy Sattler MPP London West 519-657-3120 psattler-co@ndp.on.ca
PRIDE Villager
Page 6 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Indigenous Queer Resistance to Binaries, Stereotypes and Internalized Oppression
My name is Riley Kennedy (he/him). I am a twenty year- old Indigenous queer person living in London, Ontario. I am bicultural Haudenosaunee and Settler Canadian and a member of Oneida Nation of the Thames. I am a student at Western University and Brescia University College studying Community Development and Indigenous Studies. The following is written from my perspective based on my experiences and knowledge. I recognize that there is a lot for me to learn and experience. Throughout my life, society has forced me to fit within binaries. Gay or straight, Indigenous or non-Indigenous, white or person of colour, top or bottom, status or non-status, urban or rural, traditional or non-traditional, male or female, masc or fem, rich or poor, fat or skinny etc. Society has created these binaries to be able to categorize individuals and make assumptions about them. In the gay community, there is an expectation to choose a sexual position and corresponding gender expression. As a young gay man, I had thought that all I had to do was figure out I was gay – then I was faced with more decisions about how I would express my homosexuality. To the world around me, my fashion sense was equivalent to that of a straight man while the way that I walked and talked was “too gay to function”. I have often wondered why communities that have been harmed by these stereotypes continue to reinforce them within their own communities. In the gay community, we have been directly harmed by the cis-heteronormative patriarchy, meanwhile we continue to reinforce the same ideology within our own community. In the Indigenous community, we have been directly harmed by settler colonialism and similarly reinforce the same ideology within our own communities. While it is not our fault that we function in this way due to the collective trauma of both the cis-heteronormative patriarchy and settler colonialism and the supremacy of these ideologies within our society, it is our responsibility to work to heal from the trauma and unlearn these ideologies so that we can move towards a healthier, more inclusive society and community. Often these binaries are important pieces of an individual’s identity – I have found that they can also be used to reinforce negative or harmful stereotypes about people. The assumptions, or biases, that people have based on their real or perceived
differences create experiences of interpersonal and structural violence. These biases are often used to make sense of the world around us but when they are taken at face value – instead of constant critique and evaluation, they become dangerous. For people who struggle to fit into these binaries, there is a tension which can have unhealthy effects on these individuals. Where do you belong? Who are you? Which community do you belong to? All questions, I have had and continue to have as an individual who often exists in the spaces between the binaries. It is important to both have a strong identity but remain true to your authentic self. I have vigorously tried to fit myself into these binaries to the point of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion. Recently, I have been beginning to understand that I don’t have to fit within these binaries and that I can define my own space that make me unique yet still belong. I am too masc to be fem and too fem to be masc and therefore I have decided to be myself. I am working on becoming more comfortable existing in the tension between the Settler Canadian and Indigenous worlds. I have made a conscious decision to resist cis-heteronormative patriarchal and settler colonial ideas of binaries and stereotypes to create my own identity and belonging.
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PRIDE Villager
Page 7 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Pride London 2021 – Unity within the Community This years Pride London Festival was themed ‘Digital Ethos’ – Unity within the Community. As with last year, the events were virtual and streamed through the Pride London website. Different from last year is the brainchild of Stephen D’Emilio, President of London Pride. He created a website called the Pride London Network that allows everyone to stream for free all of the virtual events all year long. Pride London Festival was a 10 day digital festival that highlighted an assortment of entertaining and educational events including bands, Drag Queens, DJ’s, art, religious teachings, interviews, panels and the virtual Pride Parade. “This is a labour of love”, says Stephen “with a focus on education and the virtual dynamic allows us to be present and engaging throughout the year”. On the website, you can livestream the following; • 2021 Pride London Digital Art Show • Pride London Festival presents Family 2021 • Pride London Festival Digital Ethos • Pride Kabbalat Shabbat with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow • Global Intersex Issue and Human rights panel with Key Speakers • Sunday Morning Joy • Legacy Interviews with past Presidents of Halo and Pride London • Pride London Festival Awards These are all available free at Pridelondonnetwork.com with no login required. “The experience for me personally both incredibly rewarding, thrilling, difficult, challenging and surprising. Especially the idea of another virtual year, we had to make it more engaging, educational, getting back to our roots”, said Stephen. A big thank you to all the hard-working volunteers who dedicated their time and energy and the sponsors that made this year’s events a success. Getting the Poke at Palasad On August 22, 2021 a pop-up vaccine clinic withMLHU at Palasad 2 was open to provide a safe space filled with LGBTQ2++ friendly staff alongside award winning LGBTQ2++ local entertainment.
For more information, visit www.pridelondon.ca and www.pridelondonnetwork.com Facebook https://m.facebook.com/PrideLondonFestival/ The Drag Queen Photo Booth at the Covent Garden Market raised $700 for Chippewa of the Thames First Nation. Pride London donated $300 to make the total donation $1000.
PRIDE Villager
Issue 7 • Fall 2021 Page 8
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Rainbow Optimist Update
Three of the events were live: 1. St. Thomas flag raising at City Hall 2. Elgin County Flag raising
3. A Spiritual Celebration at Pinafore Park Bandshell with a performance from the Deshkan Zii Bi Indigenous Women’s Drumming Group. This was the first live performance at the Bandshell in almost 2 years.
The United Way Elgin Middlesex grant funded by the Government of Canada ended June 30, 2021.
Some of the highlands and insights are: The social media campaign was very successful. Our Facebook followers grew to just under 1000 people. Here are the statistics for Facebook and Instagram - December 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021:
• 52,355 Facebook reach, a growth of 114.9%. • 2,552 Instagram reach, a growth of 1.7K%
Students and staff from across the Thames Valley took part in the day of learning with Anthony Johnson on March 30, 2021. From the Learning Coordinator- Equity and Inclusive Education, Thames Valley District School Board: “On behalf of the TVDSB Equity Team, I would like to extend a huge thank you for all your efforts to make the Anthony Johnson presentation possible! I heard from countless students and staff about how much they valued hearing Anthony's words today in recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility. At last count, over 3500 students participated in the session! Your dedication and commitment to affirming the identities of 2SLGBTQ+ students and staff in TVDSB is remarkable.” The JOI of Cooking
St. Thomas got it’s first rainbow crosswalk in front of City Hall. The online events were well attended. While the attendance was low at the live events, it was a great start and has laid the ground work to grow the events next year.
The JOI (Junior Optimist International) and the Rainbow Optimist Club cookbook called the JOI of Cooking is just about sold out. Get yours now so you are not disappointed. The cookbook can be ordered on our website at: www.rainbowoptimistclub. com/cookbook or picked from Mary Lou Abrams or Cheryl Bolton.The cost is $10.00 if you pick it up. Delivery can be arranged. Prices vary depending where it is being sent.
Drag Storytime The virtual Drag Storytime has had a very successful year so far. With the help of the United Way funding and sponsorship from TD Bank, Drag Storytime time had a far and wide reach. Since
the April issue of the Pride Villager. It reached 22,465 people around the world, had 2,260 view sand engagement 687 people. It is being see in counties where it is illegal to be “gay’. More virtual Drag Storytimes are being planned. Also, as soon as we are able to be live in the libraries we will be there. Stay tuned! Resources One of the many things that was done during the course of our United Way project was the updating of our website. This included an extensive list of community organizations, hotlines and crisis support, national organizations and additional resources and links. This list of resources can be found at: www.RainbowOptimistclub.com/resources. The Rainbow Optimist Club will be announcing it’s now home this fall. Stay tuned for details. To find out what’s up: Follow us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ rainbowoptimistclub Visit our website at: www.RainbowOptimistC l ub.com.
Sponsorships The Rainbow Optimist Club sponsored the Prides in Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford Counties. Special Drag Storytimes were produced for each. Oxford Pride and Strathroy Pride have their own exciting stories to tell. The Rainbow Optimist Club sponsored M.I. Friends and gave 10 programs to the St. Thomas-Elgin Family Services. They continue to reach out to community partners to inform them of M.I. Friends. Elgin County Pride The Rainbow Optimist speared the Elgin County Pride Committee. This year Elgin County Pride was Monday, August 9th to Sunday, August 15th. Events included flag raisings, Digital Drag Queen Bitchy Bingo, Rainbow Speakers Panel: Small Town Pride, Drag Storytime, Virtual Evening of Entertainment and a Spiritual Celebration.
PRIDE Villager
Page 9 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Why Chocolate? Habitual Chocolate with Martin Withenshaw
While the I was being shown how to make chocolate mouse, the grinder beside us was busily grinding cocoa beans, known as nibs. The technique Philippe uses when grinding the cocoa beans is longer than Mexican method but not as long as the Swiss method. Also, I learned that his milk chocolate has milk powder in it and that all his dark chocolate is dairy free and vegan. 3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse 5 oz marshmallow (140 g) 1 ½ cups milk (360 g) 1 cup of chopped dark or milk chocolate (170 g)
When I walked into Habitual Chocolate, I had no idea what I was in store for. I asked a very simple question: “Why Chocolate?”. Philippe proceeded to share his story. He is a trained Pastry Chef from Switzerland, and came to Canada on an 18-month work visa.
He started his Canadian career in Cambridge but wanted more. He started looking for a location that was affordable and had a market for a bakery/pastry shop. London was chosen and he started working at a bakery in Old East London. He wanted to broaden his horizons so he applied as the part-time Chocolatier at Habitual Chocolate in Western Fair Market. He thought he knew all about production. He presumed they made their chocolate bars from melting slabs of chocolate. Wrong! When he arrived for his interview, he saw all the bags of cocoa beans and know it was more then just producing chocolate bars. He took the part-time job and learned very quickly how to make chocolate and worked towards a 2-year plan. Within six months he achieved the 2-year goal. He was working 24/7 and decided it was time to open he own store. He looked at the market in Woodstock and decided that was the place to be. The owner of Habitual Chocolate asked if he wanted to purchase it and he did. Habitual Chocolate had a new home, Woodstock Ontario. For a period of time Philippe produced all his product in Woodstock and had a stall at Western Fair Market on Saturdays. They grew faster then they had expected and gave up their stall at Western Fair Market to concentrate on Woodstock.
- In a sauce pan on medium heat combine marshmallows and milk - Stir until the marshmallows are completely melted
- Pour marshmallow milk over chopped/shaved chocolate - Whisk until combined - Divide chocolate mousse evenly into 4 parfait glasses or champagne flutes - Let set in fridge for approximately 1 hour - Serve with whip cream or chocolate shaving. Enjoy! Tip: To create a vegan dessert use coconut milk or almond milk, and dark chocolate.
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PRIDE Villager
Page 10 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Strathroy Pride by Frank Emanuele, Strathroy Pride Co-chair
Strathroy Pride concluded our Pride celebration last July 10th with a small, safe gathering where we raised the rainbow flag at Strathroy Town Hall. While this was our second annual Pride event, we were fortunate to have had many memorable firsts. For the 6 weeks leading up to the flag raising, Strathroy Pride debuted a booth at the Downtown Strathroy Market. Among the fresh produce, delicious treats, and local artisan vendors, we sold pride flags and Strathroy Pride merchandise. What really stood out from our colourful presence, was the positive community engagement. People would stop by, strike up a conversation, ask questions, and show their support. The booth became an instant Safe Space for community members to talk about the struggles of their friends, family members, or even themselves. Many of our chats concluded with gratitude and hopes that we continue to have a presence in this beautiful rural town.
Photos by Lauren Huston, Strathroy Pride.
LGBTQ++ Glossary of Terms Terminology is fluid. What is considered helpful to reduce oppression evolves over time. Moreover, people within a group may prefer different terms and it is best to use terms by which individuals self-identify. Gay A person whose primary attraction is to people of the same gender. The word can refer to men or women, although some women prefer “lesbian.” Used as an umbrella term for the LBGT community. Lesbian A woman who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to women. Bisexual A person who is emotionally, physically, spiritually and/or sexually attracted to members of more than one gender, though not necessarily at the same time. Pangender A person whose gender identity is comprised of all or many gender expressions. Ally Typically any non-LGBTQ+ person who supports and stands up for the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ people, though LGBTQ+ people can also be allies, such as a lesbian who is an ally to transgender folks. Trans*/Transgender An umbrella term used for people whose gender identity is not in harmony with their birth assignment, either wholly or partially, or who experience their gender identity as radically different from what is expected of a “man” or a “woman”. There are many communities that live under this umbrella and there is no single or universal experience of what it means to be trans. Cisgender “Same As” Used to describe people whose gender identity is in harmony with the sex assigned to them at birth. Two-Spirit A cultural and spiritual identity used by some First Nations peoples to describe having both masculine and feminine spirits. It can include people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or intersex. Intersex A person born with biological and/or physical characteristics that are not easily categorized by medical practitioners as male or female. Intersex people are often assigned as either male or female at birth. Some intersex people identify with their assigned sex, while others do not. For a complete LGBT2Q glossary of terms visit: https://www.the519.org/education-training/glossary
Another first for us was the local business engagement. We were fortunate to have several local sponsors this year, some of which initiated contact with us to support our local Pride celebration. We also kicked off the month of June with a pride sticker campaign for local businesses. Inclusive Pride flag window stickers were gifted to downtown storefronts with the
hopes of them being displayed to promote inclusivity and to show that all are welcome and safe in their stores. We were overjoyed to see so much participation and overall willingness to be a part of this initiative. The virtual part of our celebration this year included Drag Storytime, entertainment, and interviews with agencies and services that help the LGBTQ2+ community. Organizations such as The Trans Health team, Trans* London, M.I. Understanding, CMHA, and the GSA teacher at the local high school shared their time with us to explain what they do and how their services can be accessed. We hope these informative interviews help rural community members reach out to them when in need. Between our online presence, the merchandise/flags sales, the window stickers, and the town flag raising, we successfully painted the town in rainbows! Our hearts were overjoyed with the engagement this year and the many conversations people were having. The community support was overwhelming, and it fueled our fires to start planning for a bigger andmore beautiful 2022 event.
PRIDE Villager
Page 11 Issue 7 • Fall 2021
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Pride Villager Issue #7 Fall 2021 www.villagerpublications.com
Publisher: Barb Botten, Villager Publications P.O. Box 134, Lambeth Station Ontario N6P 1P9 Managing Editors: Barb Botten, Martin Withenshaw Graphic Artist: Cathy Wood Read past issues of Pride Villager at www.villagerpublications.com
Learn more at www.you.ca 519-432-1112 / info@you.ca
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