Hi there,
I’m really excited to share The Discourse’s 2024 Pride Guide with you today. Our teams in Cowichan, Nanaimo and the Comox Valley came together to highlight Pride events as well as resources and organizations for 2SLGBTQQIA+ and allies. Some of the events taking place in our communities are in their first or second year, and I think it’s so cool to see them growing!
You may have seen the news that the Pride flag flown at the Cowichan Aquatic Centre was vandalized last week, shortly before the start of Pride month. This isn’t the first story I’ve covered, seen or heard about anti-2SLGBTQQIA+ hate in our community and beyond. I often have such positive interactions in the community, it’s easy to think it doesn’t happen here.
But it does — more than you may think.
I’ve had some people ask me why we place such an emphasis on Pride. Why did we create a Pride Guide and why aren’t we sharing general community events in the same way? In other words, why does Pride get special treatment?
There’s no doubt progress has been made when it comes to 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights, but that doesn’t mean the hate has gone away. As Cowichan’s latest incident and the rise of hate-motivated protests suggest, it’s getting worse.
According to Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes related to sexual orientation and sex and gender have been increasing, and those are just the incidents reported to the police that they deem as hate crimes. Nearly three-quarters of police-reported hate crimes related to sexual orientation specifically targeted the gay and lesbian population.
Last year, The Discourse Nanaimo reporter Lys Morton reflected on community safety in the face of rising queerphobia on Vancouver Island in a reporter’s notebook. The voices he lifts up in that article and the incidents he recalls still stick with me.
“Hate crimes like this are a stark reminder that many queer and transgender folks are still worried about their safety,” said Cowichan Pride Society president Teresa Stebbing in a statement regarding the recent flag vandalism.
North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas called the act “cowardly” and said it serves as a reminder for why recognizing Pride month is still important.
And I agree.
So why does Pride get its own guide in The Discourse? Because hate continues to be directed at the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. Because incidents like the Pride flag vandalism continue to take place. Because a community of people is still being targeted for being who they are.
I should note, though, that I’ve also seen the community come together in so many ways to face this hate and celebrate not only the queer community, but marginalized community members in general. Like in this story from last year.
That gives me hope. And I’m holding on to that.
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