The Martlet

Victoria’s Pride Parade and Festival were loud and proud this year, as thousands of brightly clad people flocked downtown to participate in the festivities.

The parade and festival culminated Pride Week, an annual event hosted by the Victoria Pride Society. The Pride Society’s mission is “to create a better public understanding of our community’s history, courage, diversity and future.”

Pride Week is a time of empowerment and increased public understanding through social, educational and networking events such as themed dance parties, cruises, performances by local writers, shows by drag performers, and bellydance workshops.

Gabrielle Sutherland, a member of the UVic Pride Collective, said she felt this year’s parade was very successful.

“There were definitely lots and lots [of people] and that’s good to see,” she said.

The Victoria Pride Society intends for Pride Week to be an inclusive event, and as such, many community members and organizations participated in the parade as sponsors and allies.

The Pride Festival, which took place where the parade ended, was held at McDonald Park for the first time this year, a much larger space than the previous venue, Fisherman’s Wharf. The festival featured a beer garden, vendors and tablers, as well as a Lady Gaga tribute on the mainstage.

But Pride Week is more than just a big party.

“Pride isn’t just about coming together as an LGBT community,” said former UVic student Tim Ell, who attended the parade and festival with his boyfriend, Jacob Kownacki. “Most of us know each other, so it’s not really about making a big party for ourselves. The point of it all is that everyone should celebrate themselves, be comfortable in their own skin, and love each other for who we are.”

Sutherland says Pride Week also gives the queer community an important visibility.

“When I came out of the closet, I felt I was alone. I didn’t know there were others like me. I didn’t know there were other trans people,” she said. “Of course I knew there were queer people, but I didn’t know how to get in touch.”

With events like the Pride Parade, people can see that they’re not alone and can find ways to get in contact, Sutherland added.

While Pride Week is meant to be more of a celebration than a political event, Sutherland feels it carries an important message.

“For me, I think it’s far more important for me as a queer person to be out there saying here I am. I exist. You can’t shut me up,” she said.

“I believe that queer people should be treated exactly the same as everyone else because I believe in equal rights, absolutely. I realize my approach is somewhat different from a lot of other queer people on other ends of the political spectrum, but ultimately it’s about queer people living in society as equals and not ‘the other.’”

For more information on the Victoria Pride Society and upcoming Pride events, visit victoriapridesociety.org.