Going as far back as the B次元官网网址�80s, Pride celebrations in Victoria have taken many colourful B次元官网网址� and sometimes riotousB次元官网网址� forms throughout the years. Below, youB次元官网网址檒l find three Victoria residents who have opened up to share their stories, explaining how theyB次元官网网址檝e seen the festival change, and what Pride means to them. Some have been around to see it all, and some are newcomers. While their experiences differ greatly in some ways, there is one thing that rings true for all our storytellers: Pride has been a space where they've found acceptance and liberation.
Monika Turner, 40 (they/them) - Queer polyamorous LatinX
After moving from Kelowna to Victoria just two years ago, Turner has found a safe space and memories that will last a lifetime at Victoria Pride.
Most memorable for Turner was when their wife performed on the main stage as drag king Fierce Brosnan. In 2023, this included a special dedicated performance of B次元官网网址楾o Me From YouB次元官网网址� by Naethan Apollo.
B次元官网网址淚t meant everything. I think I was probably sobbing,B次元官网网址� said Turner. B次元官网网址淪he felt it was important to perform that because it wasnB次元官网网址檛 that long ago that gay marriage wasnB次元官网网址檛 legal here.B次元官网网址�
The moment emphasized a feeling of safety that Turner has found while living in Victoria, a place they described as having more representation and acceptance than places theyB次元官网网址檝e lived in the past.
B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e visibly queer, you show other people who are scared that, okay, if they can do it, so can I. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e not 100 per cent safe anywhere, but here feels a lot more safe.B次元官网网址�
Turner has had their share of difficult experiences being queer within their Latin heritage, growing up while facing homophobia within their own home. They moved to Canada from Venezuela when they were five and didnB次元官网网址檛 come out until age 33.
Turner said that the representation and diversity in Victoria is more extensive than initial perceptions B次元官网网址� one of the goals of Pride festivals everywhere worthy of celebrating, in Victoria and beyond.
It was during KelownaB次元官网网址檚 Pride festivities that Turner saw the power of representation in action.
B次元官网网址淚 was approached afterwards by probably six or seven younger queer people of colour that said, B次元官网网址楾hank you for talking about your experience, because I feel seenB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� they recalled, adding that in non-Western cultures, the deeply-rooted misogynistic culture can compound the challenges and pain that 2SLGBTQ+ face.
B次元官网网址淭o have those kids come up to me afterwards, it reminded me of why itB次元官网网址檚 important to be visibly queer.B次元官网网址�
David Tillson, 60 - Past president of the Victoria Pride Society from 2005 to 2022
When David Tillson first attended what later became known as the Victoria Pride Festival, it was much different than what it is today. Gay Pride Week was celebrated in the B次元官网网址�80s, evolving into a one-day picnic event in the early B次元官网网址�90s, first hosted in Beacon Hill Park with a couple of hundred attendees.
B次元官网网址淚 think there was a hesitancy, like a secrecy to the thing B次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檙e talking about a community thatB次元官网网址檚 being brought together by the AIDS crisis.B次元官网网址�
Tillson recalled the first picnic event at Beacon Hill Park being very community-based.
B次元官网网址淓veryone participated; gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans folk, First Nations folk,B次元官网网址� said Tillson. B次元官网网址淚t was nice to be out in public and feel free. And to be around your whole community that you didnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily get to see all of the time. ItB次元官网网址檚 very affirming that thereB次元官网网址檚 more of you out there than what you see on Friday night at the bar.B次元官网网址�
At the time, gay marriage was illegal in Canada, and there were no laws about discrimination based on gender, sexuality and identity, he recalls.
Cue to today and things have changed. A couple hundred attendees have grown to tens of thousands. Tillson has seen it all and with front-row seats: he was the past president of the Victoria Pride Society from 2005-2022. During his time as president, the festival added a beer garden, the festival and parade moved to MacDonald Park from FishermanB次元官网网址檚 Wharf, where it had a mere 10 vendors in comparison to the over 100 there is today, and the society was re-registered as the Victoria Pride Society.
B次元官网网址淭he previous name was so long, it didnB次元官网网址檛 sit on a check,B次元官网网址� he said.
Tillson brought a stable board and fundraising experience with him. The festival grew bigger and bigger as it got major sponsors and more media coverage.
Tillson watches as culture shifts still while certain goals of the festival remain a constant.
B次元官网网址淎ll of the groups that make up the Pride community share the same goals. They are all looking for equality, acceptance and the end to violence against us. The focus of Pride (sometimes forgetting representation) has slowly gone from the oppression of homosexuality to gender identity and gender expression,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he struggles and fights are still there. People with more time and energy B次元官网网址� younger than me B次元官网网址� will create and steer our community into the future. It takes hundreds of volunteers to build our Pride Week/Month celebrations regardless of the focus.B次元官网网址�
Tillson recalls that sense of fight from those early days, when the first Pride Parade emerged in 1994 after organizer Barb McLauchlin phoned the City of Victoria to acquire a permit to march on the sidewalk.
B次元官网网址淚t was very empowering and very exciting B次元官网网址� the permit was just for us to march on the street, on the sidewalk. But then we spilled that onto the street to stop traffic,B次元官网网址� said Tillson. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just gotten slowly bigger and bigger and bigger. ThatB次元官网网址檚 just the evolution of our culture, acceptance of culture.B次元官网网址�
Throughout his time in the community, Tillson has seen Pride change and grow, though he asserts, B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e still fighting.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪ociety is so moving forward. Things that I canB次元官网网址檛 imagine happening to me, say in my youth are happening for young people now. I have a friend whoB次元官网网址檚 got a teenage son and got his first boyfriend,B次元官网网址� Tillson said, noting that wouldB次元官网网址檝e been something many people of his generation wouldB次元官网网址檝e had to hide. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 easier and easier for younger gay, lesbian, bi, trans people in the community to come out and accept who they are. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 an amazing thing.B次元官网网址�
Alana Delcourt, 52 (she/her) - Cis-femme lesbian
B次元官网网址淚 love Pride. I do. I live for it B次元官网网址� I just love being around people and the acceptance. And the message for me that always sticks out in my head is B次元官网网址� love is love B次元官网网址�. I still just revel in that message.B次元官网网址�
Alana Delcourt has been attending Pride festivals since her early 20s, starting in the 1990s in Vancouver. But since then she has been to Pride festivals in four or five different cities, going to several different ones annually, including VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 for 20.
As a member of the Sidney Pride Committee, Delcourt will help produce SidneyB次元官网网址檚 first large Pride Festival on June 15 with vendors and food trucks. ItB次元官网网址檚 just one example of how Pride continues to grow on Vancouver Island.
Delcourt and her family knew about her sexuality by the time she was 16, but publicly Delcourt didnB次元官网网址檛 have her first girlfriend til her mid-20s. She recalls the first Pride she attended, around that age.
B次元官网网址淚 loved watching the nightclub floats go by with the fun energy and the go-go dancers, lightly pushing boundaries. Just the fun and the happiness of it and the celebration. And, especially back then, just being around family and allyship, it was just so liberating for me.B次元官网网址�
