I am so glad I volunteered for the Pride Parade here in Edmonton.
This was my first Pride Parade. Up north the city refuses a parade permit, and so far no one has fought it. I admit, it never occurred to me to take a role in this and help organize one anyway.
When I volunteered for the parade, I was still seeing myself as hetero, with a dose of being comfy with women and their bodies. I have, till now, been in long term, monogamous relationships with men. I did not volunteer for my own sexuality, but because I believe that sexual autonomy is a human right, that being able to take joy in your sexuality is part of being a healthy human being. I am passionate about sexuality.
The point was to support something that celebrates sexuality.
Then, I was there. Surrounded by people of ALL TYPES of sexuality. Working with people from all backgrounds, religions, lifestyles, genders, sexualities and oh my flipping gawd.. it was amazing.
It is a celebration for the folk who have fought tooth and nail for the right to love in ways that fulfill them. It is pride in our bodies, pride in our relationships, pride in our gender, pride in our individual ways of expressing our sexuality.
This parade was for all of us. The parade advocates for public awareness that love, sexuality, gender-these things are fluid, they are personal and they are as varied as the colours of a rainbow, with the divisions between labels being a bit blurry. The parade advocates for honest and proud sexual education for children, for challenging societal views of 'normal', for creating space that is SAFE to stand up and say, "This is me. I love me.".
I was absolutely astounded by the church floats, the religious groups that came out to publicly support Pride. I was shocked to see TD, RBC, Home Depot, Winners and other large businesses not only taking part, but singing, dancing, and PROUD to be there.
There was close to a hundred thousand people there. It was a family friendly event with loot being handed out, people singing, laughing, smiling, cheering and demonstrating that sexuality is not something to be hidden, shamed, criminalized-it is part of humanity. That from whatever part of the spectrum you are on, be it highly sexual to asexual, be it from straight to gay, your sexuality is YOURS, unique to you and that is fantastic.
This was my first Pride Parade. Up north the city refuses a parade permit, and so far no one has fought it. I admit, it never occurred to me to take a role in this and help organize one anyway.
When I volunteered for the parade, I was still seeing myself as hetero, with a dose of being comfy with women and their bodies. I have, till now, been in long term, monogamous relationships with men. I did not volunteer for my own sexuality, but because I believe that sexual autonomy is a human right, that being able to take joy in your sexuality is part of being a healthy human being. I am passionate about sexuality.
The point was to support something that celebrates sexuality.
Then, I was there. Surrounded by people of ALL TYPES of sexuality. Working with people from all backgrounds, religions, lifestyles, genders, sexualities and oh my flipping gawd.. it was amazing.
I realized ... This parade is not just for those who identify as being part of the sexualities included in "quiltbag". This parade is for everyone.
It is for the very JOY of sexuality, that we each can walk our own path and find someone to walk with us. That we can express ourselves in a way that is fundamental to who we are, not in a prescribed way.It is a celebration for the folk who have fought tooth and nail for the right to love in ways that fulfill them. It is pride in our bodies, pride in our relationships, pride in our gender, pride in our individual ways of expressing our sexuality.
This parade was for all of us. The parade advocates for public awareness that love, sexuality, gender-these things are fluid, they are personal and they are as varied as the colours of a rainbow, with the divisions between labels being a bit blurry. The parade advocates for honest and proud sexual education for children, for challenging societal views of 'normal', for creating space that is SAFE to stand up and say, "This is me. I love me.".
I was absolutely astounded by the church floats, the religious groups that came out to publicly support Pride. I was shocked to see TD, RBC, Home Depot, Winners and other large businesses not only taking part, but singing, dancing, and PROUD to be there.
There was close to a hundred thousand people there. It was a family friendly event with loot being handed out, people singing, laughing, smiling, cheering and demonstrating that sexuality is not something to be hidden, shamed, criminalized-it is part of humanity. That from whatever part of the spectrum you are on, be it highly sexual to asexual, be it from straight to gay, your sexuality is YOURS, unique to you and that is fantastic.
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