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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