FST Pride 2023 Statement
May 30, 2023
For many within the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, the word Pride is often first encountered as a sin. The fight for Queer liberation led by Trans, gender non-conforming individuals, sex workers, drag queens/kings, queer youth, lesbians, gay men, Black, and Indigenous communities has allowed us to recognize and celebrate that Pride is a virtue.
During Pride we come together to honour this legacy and the continued fight for liberation and self-determination for all who continue to face racism, sexism, classism, ableism, xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia, ageism, in addition to all other forms of oppression and subsequent violence rooted in colonialism, White supremacy, neoliberalism and capitalism.
We acknowledge that Black and Indigenous people have been instrumental in the effort towards Queer liberation, and we must continue to uplift their voices. To truly deconstruct white supremacist structures and systems of oppression, we must fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and swiftly implement the Calls to Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the Calls to Action from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
As an agency, we are committed to upholding our values of celebrating diversity, pursuing equity and practising inclusion. We continue to ground our understanding of poverty, marginalization, discrimination and oppression in the lived experience of people and communities.
Join us June 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at 355 Church Street for a drop-in, collaborative art making event about the theme of queer existence and resistance. Come together with members of the community and allies to celebrate the unique and diverse identities of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. No registration required. Download flyer