Okanagan pride events are a celebration, but that wasn香蕉视频直播檛 always the case.
Brian McArthur has been involved with Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 pride community for 17 years and sat on the board of directors with the pride society for a number of them. He said the first march he attended was like a protest.
香蕉视频直播�(Now) it香蕉视频直播檚 become a way of letting people in the public know you香蕉视频直播檙e not alone and there are resources and other people like you out there. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think the message is any longer 香蕉视频直播榟ere we are, get used to it,香蕉视频直播� but there are still a lot of small-minded people living here,香蕉视频直播� he said.
McArthur said the march he attended, which was in the 香蕉视频直播�90s, had less than 100 people. Last year香蕉视频直播檚 march .
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 huge compared to what it was. The main difference is there are a lot more people in the community who are out, compared to 15 to 20 years ago,香蕉视频直播� said McArthur, who enjoyed watching thousands of people stream into City park last year.
Along with people becoming more accepting of the LGBTQ community, he said it香蕉视频直播檚 become easier to connect through social media. Younger generations have also become more accepting of the community, he said.
He feels proud of Kelowna for its changing views and said it香蕉视频直播檚 evolved.
Previously named the Okanagan Rainbow Collation, it became Okanagan Pride in 2004.
香蕉视频直播淪o it香蕉视频直播檚 been 10 years the Okanagan Pride Society has been organizing a pride week or weekend,香蕉视频直播� said society president Dustyn Baulkham.
The festival continues to grow. It has doubled the amount of vendors since last year, from 33 to nearly 66. This will also be the first year the pride event has a full-page pride guide.
Baulkham is looking forward to the festival in the park with everyone in the public supporting the LGBTQ community and said it香蕉视频直播檚 more important to support the pride community now more than ever, especially with trans rights being challenged south of the border.
香蕉视频直播淲e live in a very privileged society. Our elders and our seniors fought for the rights we now take for granted and so sometimes it is re-educating those people who say 香蕉视频直播業 don香蕉视频直播檛 take part in pride香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播榙oes pride really matter?香蕉视频直播� because of what香蕉视频直播檚 going on in other parts of the world,香蕉视频直播� said Baulkham. 香蕉视频直播淲e can香蕉视频直播檛 take for granted the rights that we have because they can still be taken away.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淪hine Bright香蕉视频直播� is this year香蕉视频直播檚 theme, but nearly 20 years ago, the it had a different tone. The society is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, but LGBTQ awareness campaigns have been in the Central Okanagan for much longer than that.
Pride kicked off Saturday with a Lustre Launch dance party at 10 p.m. at the Kelowna Forum. Monday has an 18-carat golf tournament at Orchard Greens Golf Club at 5 p.m. with the Trans March was held from Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Laurel Packinghouse.
Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Next Drag Superstar Competition is held Friday at 6 p.m. at the Rotary Centre for the Arts with the annual Pride March scheduled Aug. 19 from Stuart Park to Waterfront Park starting at 10:30 a.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit .
