By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

growing relationships

Pride Week to kick off in Red Deer on Sunday

Aug 7, 2021 | 9:48 AM

Scaled-back plans won’t mean this year’s Central Alberta Pride Week isn’t going to be fun.

Put on by Central Alberta Pride Society (CAPS), Pride Week runs from Aug. 8-14, separate from International Pride Month in June, giving revelers a chance to participate in both the bigger and smaller city events.

Things get going with Pride by the Park at Red Deer’s Baymont Inn this Sunday.

The event starts at 1 p.m. with a City proclamation, and then from 2:30-6:30, there will be performances by local drag queens and the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra. A beer garden is also planned, with events moving indoors should there be inclement weather.

Various virtual posts will occur on the society’s Facebook page throughout the week, and details are being finalized for an event with the Red Deer Native Friendship Society.

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On Aug. 14, CAPS will host a virtual drag show called ‘Queens on Screens,’ with viewing details to be shared on Facebook.

Board Chair Lenny Gallant believes the message for Pride Week remains similar to years previous, it being that education is paramount.

“Clearly we still need to get out there and advocate for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We’re making steps, though not big ones. We need to educate the general public and increase education in schools,” he says.

“We saw Red Deer Public Schools’ (RDPS) board earlier this year decide to have a fully inclusive Diversity Week rather than a Pride Week, which showed that we haven’t educated enough. Then we see the social media comments showing that what some of the public feels about Pride in schools has nothing to do with what it actually is. It’s not about cramming things down kids’ throats, it’s about being accepting of everybody.”

In what Gallant characterizes as a hopeful step, RDPS’ superintendent has invited CAPS to be part of upcoming roundtable discussions.

Gallant shares CAPS has also made inroads with Red Deer RCMP and The City of Red Deer. Pride flags will be flown all week at both Red Deer RCMP detachments, albeit at half-mast.

For Gallant, Pride comes back to being able to be himself and not worrying about what others think.

“I grew up somewhere that was very redneck, and I do feel that we’ve come leaps and bounds in terms of acceptance. Twenty years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever be a father of two,” he says while applauding recently out national women’s soccer team member Quinn for proving that nothing is out of reach for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“One thing I’ve always struggled with though is that gay people cannot donate blood. I’ve had transfusions in the past that saved my life, and unfortunately I can’t return that favour with current restrictions. If my son ever needed a transfusion, I can’t give that to him at this point. Our blood is no different from anybody else’s, and it’s as easy as every bit of blood donated being tested.”

Canadian Blood Services announced last month it is making a submission to Health Canada to remove the current three-month waiting period for men who have sex with men.

Sylvan Lake town council also recently approved a proclamation for Pride Week, for the second straight year, and following a joint submission by CAPS and the town’s IMPACT Youth Coalition. CAPS hopes to add more municipalities in the years to come.

For more information about CAPS and Central Alberta Pride Week, visit centralalbertapride.ca.