“I want to show solidarity, build up solidarity, and build up the community power to do that,” stated one parade-goer.
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As the sound of cheers, drums and fiddle music started to rise alongside Saskatoon’s riverbank — heralding the beginning of town’s 2024 Pride parade — the skies opened in a momentary burst of sun-showers.
With a vibrant, celebratory crowd filling the streets, even the climate was promising rainbows.
On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and their relations, associates, family members and allies turned out to indicate their assist for queer lives, loves and identities.
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See a photo gallery from Saturday’s Pride parade here
“It is so good to see all the fabulous people and members of the community come out and rally together,” stated first-time parade-goer Hadryan McGregor, as he and his companion watched the floats go by. “We’re really happy to be here.”
All alongside the parade route, elegant drag queens waved regally from automobiles and floats as dancers flicked followers in time to 12 sorts of music, skate boarders confirmed off their kick-flips alongside a small fleet of rainbow-bedecked Viking ships, and youngsters in fairy wings, tutus and ribbon skirts performed tag and chased bubbles by the group.
“It’s really encouraging to see so many people out here,” stated Mandy Craft, as they waited to glide into the parade with their two youngsters behind the banner “Don’t Hate: Roller skate.”
Craft says the parade is all the time a “really fun” time for his or her household; however celebrating Pride in Saskatchewan feels a bit completely different in 2024 than it did final yr.
“It’s especially important this year, given what’s been happening in Saskatchewan — and nationally — which has been really discouraging, and unsafe for so many folks,” stated Craft.
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“There is a renewed urgency to the parade this year.”
Last summer season, shortly after Pride Month, the Saskatchewan Party authorities introduced new insurance policies that will prohibit sex-ed in colleges, and require college students below the age of 16 to get parental permission to vary their identify or pronouns in school.
The insurance policies, which had been handed into legislation in October, had been met with fierce and immediate opposition from the 2SLGBTQ+ neighborhood, with many arguing the principles would put trans, two-spirit and gender-diverse children in danger and stifle their capacity to come back into their id and sense of self on their very own phrases.
That’s why Dan McCoshan got here to the parade this yr sporting the message “Protect Queer Lives” — as a result of Pride, with all its pleasure and vibrant festivities, can also be a rallying cry and a reminder of the lengthy, hard-fought, persevering with battle for 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
“With the pronoun bill and all this stuff going on, queer lives need to be protected,” McCoshan stated. “I want to show solidarity, build up solidarity, and build up the community power to do that.”
For Sheena Grund, that solidarity got here with a small pot of glitter and a giant message of affection.
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At the top of the parade, Grund was enthusiastically providing “glitter blessings” to anybody who needed them.
“God loves you; keep being fabulous,” she stated over and over once more, tracing streaks of silver sparkles throughout dozens of foreheads and palms.
“I’ve been so moved, doing this,” stated Grund, a member of Fruits of the Spirit, a gaggle for “LGBTQ2S+ spiritual seekers and allies” in Saskatoon. “It’s heartwarming, and I’ve teared up a couple times, too.
“It’s just people wanting to know that they’re loved.”
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