Latest news with #2SLGBTQ+
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Winnipeg Pride marches on during Manitoba's ongoing state of emergency over wildfires
More than 10,000 people walked through downtown Winnipeg on Sunday as the annual Pride parade marched on amid Manitoba's ongoing state of emergency. Thousands more people cheered and waved flags in support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community as they lined up along the smoky parade route from the Manitoba Legislature to The Forks, where Pride Festival events were planned to run into the evening. Pride Winnipeg president Barry Karlenzig said it's not only an important time for the community to come together, but also to acknowledge Pride's roots as a political protest movement. "It is a time to be loud and proud but also acknowledge what is going on up north," Karlenzig said, referring to the wildfires. He said Pride Winnipeg is donating half of the scholarship money raised over the weekend to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to help First Nations that have had to evacuate. "What Pride means to me is recognizing and remembering those who paved the way for where you are today and making sure that we take our privilege and our power to build it forward for the next generation," he said. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was among the thousands marching on Sunday. "This year, it's very unique with the wildfires. So we're celebrating Pride within a state of emergency," Kinew told CBC, adding that Pride could be a positive outlet for people affected by wildfire evacuations. "It's important for us to move ahead with Pride because even in these more challenging moments, it's still a good opportunity for Manitobans to show who we are as a province," he said. Winnipeggers of all ages came out to celebrate Pride on Sunday. Terra Morrissette, who attended the parade with her children, told CBC News it's important for her to be at Pride to show her children that she loves them and supports them for exactly who they are. "It's always nice to see everybody coming out as a community, whether you are gay, straight, bi, trans, an ally. It's so nice that everybody can come together and be prideful of who you are," Terra said. Her son Fizz Morrissette has been attending the Pride parade for the past four years and said he feels like he can express himself fully there. "Having this parade every year just means so much to me because I get to be myself to my full extent," he said. Representatives from school divisions also walked in the parade, as students and educators showed up for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Teacher Jeremy Stubler said he brought his family to the event on Sunday to support the students he works with, while showing his young son the importance of acceptance. "We want him to know when he grows up that he can be whoever he wants and do whatever he wants and being at an event like this is really important to see that," Stubler said. He said Pride is also a fun, colourful and exciting event for everyone. To Stephanie Cielen, Pride is "just pure happiness" and is an event that she looks forward to "every day of the year." "This brings me more joy than anything," she said. This year, Pride Winnipeg's Karlenzig said about 140 organizations walked and rolled down the streets with colourful displays. That's nearly triple the number of entries compared to when he first started with Pride Winnipeg a decade and a half ago. Six marching bands helped provide the soundtrack, playing popular songs from artists like Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan. "I'm feeling absolutely amazing to see the amount of diversity today, the amount of floats and the passion," Karlenzig said. "It just brings a tear to my eye after 15 years."
CTV News
5 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Our festival will go on,' says executive director, as Google, Home Depot drop Pride Toronto sponsorship
Two more major corporate sponsors have pulled their funding for Pride Toronto. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj) Pride Toronto has faced another setback, losing two more major corporate sponsors — Google and Home Depot — just days before Pride Month begins, its executive director Kojo Modeste told CP24 on Saturday afternoon. This recent news follows a number of other corporate sponsorship losses and/or funding reductions Pride Toronto experienced in recent months. The non-profit in charge of the 2SLGBTQ+ festival is facing a shortfall of around $700,000 as a result of all the most recent withdrawals, Modeste said, adding that organizers are urgently working to address this unforeseen challenge. 'Every dollar lost directly affects the programming we can offer. This includes our ability to hire artists, build accessible and safe stages, and create space for meaningful representation of 2SLGBTQI+ voices, particularly those from equity-deserving communities.' he said. Loss of funding a 'wake-up call' for Pride Toronto, says executive director Calling these losses of support 'an unfortunate development that compounds an already challenging year for us' and a 'wake-up call,' Modeste said they first heard about Google's withdrawal on May 1, while Home Depot's decision was disclosed to them last Wednesday. No reasons were provided for the termination of sponsorships by either company, he added. 'They both agreed that they were going to be part of the festival this year. They gave us a verbal commitment. In one case, they gave us a written commitment,' said Modeste. 'It was not a signed contract. So, it was very unfortunate to lose both these sponsors.' Pride Toronto has numerous contracts with artists and vendors from across Canada, so there won't be any major changes in the planning of the 2025 festival, he noted, but things could look very different by next year, if this trend continues. 'We do hope that we're going to be able to recover from the loss that we currently have,' Modeste said, attributing these changes to the influence of the political climate in the U.S. and the direction taken by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. 'Pride Toronto has been in other hard positions in the past, and they recover. And I can assure you, I want folks to know that they're coming and should expect nothing but the best from Pride Toronto.' In a written statement provided to CP24, Modeste added that the individuals and institutions they 'believed were committed allies to our community have shown themselves to be, at least in part, swayed by external political pressures.' 'That's deeply disappointing; not just for our organization, but for the communities we serve,' he said. 'More than anything, this moment underscores the importance of values-based leadership. Pride has never been easy or convenient; it is about visibility, equity, and justice - even when it's politically unpopular. We remain committed to those principles. And we're calling on partners, new and longstanding, to show that their support is not conditional.' Toronto Pride Parade 2023 TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 25: People take part in the 2023 Annual Toronto Pride Parade on June 25, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by) Home Depot provided a written statement to CP24 indicating that it works with an 'extensive network of nonprofits made up of thousands of local and national organizations to amplify our support to the communities we serve.' 'We continually review our nonprofit giving and decided not to contribute to this event this year with no agreement in place to do so,' the company said. 'We continue to participate in Pride activities throughout Canada and look forward to working with Toronto Pride on future opportunities.' Google, however, has not responded to CTV News' request for comment. Merck Canada, which has reduced its funding for this year's festival, said it is 'dedicated to fostering belonging and empowerment, and supporting 2SLGBTQI+ communities is an important focus of this commitment.' 'We are proud to continue our support for 2SLGBTQI+ organizations across Canada with a particular focus on Montreal, where our headquarters and most of our employees are located, to create a positive impact and facilitate participation to key community events,' a spokesperson wrote to CP24. 'We cannot comment on the support provided to Pride Toronto, as discussions with the organization are still ongoing.' Toronto stepped up with extra support for Pride Toronto amid loss of sponsorship The City of Toronto, in a written statement, reiterated that in 2025 it is providing $350,000 to Pride Toronto through the Cultural Festivals Funding Program (CFFP), which it said 'represents an increase of $90,000 or approximately 35 per cent from Pride's 2024 CFFP grant of $260,000.' Spokesperson Imane Boussaid added that Pride Toronto will be eligible to apply for the Special Events Stabilization Initiative (SESI) , which she noted offers funding to festivals and event organizers for safety, security and production expenses. 'The City recently announced that the budget for SESI would be increased by $750,000 to a total of $2.1 million in 2025, recognizing the need for greater levels of support to ensure the safe delivery of festivals and events,' it said. Applications for this grant open in mid-Jun. 'Beyond direct funding, the City continues to support the safe planning and execution of the festival through City staff assistance and in-kind services. Staff are already working closely with Pride Toronto to plan for a successful 2025 event,' Boussaid wrote. '[We remain] committed to advocating for increased support for festivals from the private sector and from other government partners, recognizing that the majority of tax revenues generated by events accrue to the provincial and federal governments.' A man holds a flag on a hockey stick during the Pride parade in Toronto on June 25, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch A man holds a flag on a hockey stick during the Pride parade in Toronto on June 25, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch Pride Toronto will host activities beginning June 1. Pride Month officially launches in Toronto on Monday with a flag-raising at Toronto City Hall at 5 p.m. 'Our festival will go on. It may look different in some ways, but its spirit remains rooted in resilience, fuelled by the community we serve,' Modeste assured, thanking sponsors who 'continue to stand by us - our evergreen partners, who show up year after year with truly meaningful commitment.' He also thanked new sponsors who have stepped up duing the festival's time of need, notably The Ballroom Bowl, Freddie, SEIU, UBC Built, and Academy of Learning. 'Their solidarity affirms that our work matters, and that the community will not be left behind,' Modeste said.
CBC
11 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Winnipeg Pride marches on during Manitoba's ongoing state of emergency over wildfires
More than 10,000 people walked through downtown Winnipeg on Sunday as the annual Pride Parade marched on amid Manitoba's ongoing state of emergency. Thousands more cheered and waved flags in support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community as they lined up along the smoky parade route from the Manitoba Legislature to The Forks. Pride Winnipeg president Barry Karlenzig said the number of participants and attendees is among the largest he's seen during his 15 years with the organization. He said it's not only an important time for the community to come together, but also to acknowledge Pride's roots as a political protest movement. "It is a time to be loud and proud but also acknowledge what is going on up north," Karlenzig said. He said Pride Winnipeg is donating half of the scholarship money raised over the weekend to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to help First Nations that had to evacuate due to wildfire threat. "What Pride means to me is recognizing and remembering those who paved the way for where you are today and making sure that we take our privilege and our power to build it forward for the next generation," he said. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was among the thousands marching on Sunday.
CBC
12 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
Binbrook Pride takes place today, after a year of feeling both love and wrath of social media
Social Sharing Social media has proven to be a double-edged sword for Binbrook Pride, which hosts its fifth annual pride celebration at the town's fairgrounds on Sunday. Through platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok, the 2SLGBTQ+ organization in Hamilton has been able to reach new people and evolve from a hangout outside Tim Hortons to a vibrant Binbrook community festival. Binbrook Pride has also used social media to find new sponsors quickly this year after some previous contributors pulled out, says Kasha Czech, a drag performer who heads up the organization. But social media has also led to online harassment for organizers and participants after a video of a performer at last year's event went viral, Czech added. Last time she looked, the video had 17 million views across all platforms. "It was a performer, a trans entertainer, who was revealing their scars from top surgery in the performance," said Czech. She said the content was shared on anti-trans social media accounts and on various platforms. The performer, 20-year-old Hamilton student Finnick Brisson, describes himself as a proud trans man, and said the performance, which happened two months after his top surgery, "went great." Then hateful posts and messages began flooding his social media accounts the next day, and a popular YouTube channel made a reaction video making fun of him, Brisson said. 'We deserve to feel safe' "There were a lot of anti-trans groups that started coming after me and slid into my DMs," Brisson told CBC Hamilton on Wednesday. "Police don't do much. It was very difficult. For something that should be and is super positive to be turned into something negative, it was very painful." The furor calmed down after a couple months, but led Brisson to face serious mental health challenges that required hospitalization, he said. It also led to some positive outcomes such as the numerous local and international artists that reached out to support him, such as Priyanka, a winner from Canada's Drag Race. "There's beauty being different and not fitting the binary," Brisson said. "To attack humans just trying to be themselves who are no threat to anyone is saddening. "We deserve to feel safe." He said he is speaking out now to show people he remains proud of who he is. Czech said the online mob also came after festival organizers, with people threatening to "dox" them. The term dox refers to the practice of searching and publishing private information, usually with malicious intent. "We had to shut down all of our social media temporarily while it blew over," she said. She adds that the furor has been reignited in a smaller way since they've been promoting this year's Pride online, but says organizers rely on the internet to advertise. The current political climate in the U.S., where politicians are openly targeting trans people, and people are protesting drag events, explains – but doesn't excuse – the behaviour BinBrook Pride is encountering, she said. "'Trans' is a buzzword or 'drag' is a buzzword people can use politically, even while not having a full understanding of what trans people are, or what drag queens do," she said. Hamilton Pride a new sponsor this year Czech believes the political climate has also affected the sponsorship side of Binbrook Pride, which saw two of its previous sponsors, totalling about a quarter of its funding, pull out this year. Czech points to the pullback on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives happening at many American companies across the continent. Fortunately, she said, a panicked call for new backing on social media led to several new vendors and a sponsorship agreement with Hamilton Pride, which is now a presenting sponsor alongside the Binbrook Agricultural Society. Sunday event runs 12 to 5 p.m. The family-friendly event takes place from 12 to 5 p.m. at the Binbrook Fairgrounds on Sunday, the day after Haldimand-Norfolk Pride kicks off Pride month in Port Dover. The Binbrook event is hosted by Karma Kameleon and Chimaera, and includes drag shows, musicians, information booths, vendors, a scavenger hunt and comedy. It also has a stage this year, said event co-chair Vanessa Medina, noting past years' performances happened on the grass. "It's so important to have people who live in or around our community showing up making themselves seen," she said. "Hopefully that reduces any stigma of what people perceive a queer community to be like."
Toronto Star
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
It's Pride Month in Toronto. Here's what you need to know
Grab your rainbow flags and get ready — Pride Month has arrived in Toronto. Despite reduced corporate sponsorship, Pride Toronto is pressing ahead with a full lineup of events. From the iconic Pride Parade to drag queen storytelling at the zoo, here's what you need to know to celebrate and protest in the city this month. When is Pride Toronto's festival weekend — and what's happening with sponsors? Events will take place across the city all month, with Pride Toronto's festival weekend running from Thursday, June 26, through Sunday, June 29. The non-profit behind the city's 2SLGBTQ+ festival is marching on despite corporate sponsors pulling out or reducing funding, moves that Pride Toronto executive director Kojo Modeste said are tied to corporate backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the U.S. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Home Depot, Google, Nissan Canada and Adidas are among the companies that have dropped out, while pharmaceutical giant Merck, Tim Hortons and the Abnormal Beauty Company (owned by Estée Lauder) have lowered their contribution amounts. Star Exclusive Pride Toronto loses two more corporate sponsors just weeks before festival launch The massive Toronto festival says it unexpectedly lost two more sponsors — Home Depot and Google — just weeks before festivities are set to kick off. Star Exclusive Pride Toronto loses two more corporate sponsors just weeks before festival launch The massive Toronto festival says it unexpectedly lost two more sponsors — Home Depot and Google — just weeks before festivities are set to kick off. City Hall flag-raising On Monday, City Hall will hold a flag-raising ceremony to mark the start of Pride Month, the city announced. The event is scheduled for 5 p.m. at 100 Queen Street West and will include appearances by Mayor Olivia Chow, city council members, and representatives from Pride Toronto, along with performances by drag queens and queer musicians. Flags will also go up at Mel Lastman Square in North York and Montgomery's Inn in Etobicoke on Wednesday, plus Albert Campbell Square on Thursday, the city said. Toronto police will also fly a flag at their headquarters all month, the force said in a post on X. Business Pride Toronto facing loss of corporate sponsorship dollars amid DEI backlash It is unclear if the companies are withdrawing funding because of anti-diversity, equity and inclusion sentiments. Business Pride Toronto facing loss of corporate sponsorship dollars amid DEI backlash It is unclear if the companies are withdrawing funding because of anti-diversity, equity and inclusion sentiments. When and where is the Pride Parade? As for the big event: the Toronto Pride Parade will run on Sunday, June 29 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. More than 25,000 marchers and 250 groups are expected to pack Toronto's core for this year's Pride Parade, the city said on its website. The route will run from Rosedale Valley Road and Park Road, west on Church Street and south on Yonge Street to Nathan Phillips Square on Sunday, June 29. Gta The world's oldest LGBTQ bookshop is in Toronto and it's moving Its new temporary home will be at 32 Lisgar St. Gta The world's oldest LGBTQ bookshop is in Toronto and it's moving Its new temporary home will be at 32 Lisgar St. Other Pride events in the city Pride Toronto's Drag Ball: Enjoy a free, nine-hour event featuring more than 70 drag acts from Toronto and beyond. The event will run from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. at TD Main Stage at Nathan Phillips Square on June 28. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood Gay History Walk: Prime Timers Toronto, a social group of queer men, is running 45-minute tours that spotlight historically significant community spaces, including Woody's and the AIDS Memorial. The walk will start at the Allan Gardens Palm House on June 6, 12 and 20 at 2 p.m. Toronto Zoo Drag Queen Storytime: Drag performers will take to the Wildlife Marquee from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on June 14 to read animal-themed stories with lessons of inclusion, self-love and respect. The storytime is free with zoo admission. With files from Ana Pereira
