Pride Winnipeg

03 It's precisely that progress that inspired the theme of this year's Pride Winnipeg Festival, which from May 27 to June 5 encourages attendees to "Be Authentic" and let their true colours shine — a call- to-action that wasn't always so easy to accommodate, for either the LGBTTQ community or their allies. "If we transport ourselves back 30 years ago, say you were to draft any kind of LGBTTQ legislation — such as Manitoba did with the Human Rights Code — it was considered to be groundbreaking and taboo and controversial, and in many cases political suicide," says Pride Winnipeg president Jonathan Niemczak. "Fast-forward to 2016 and look at North Carolina — they've drafted a piece of legislation that's considered to be state-sponsored discrimination, and you have a massive public backlash against them. The federal government is suing them, there are businesses pulling out of the state and you have massive impacts to their economy. "It's quite the shift we're seeing, in the sense that now, if you're against the LGBTTQ community, you're in the minority … You're essentially just on the wrong side of history." The legislation in question not only prohibits transgender individuals from using public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity, it also bans cities from passing anti-discriminatory ordinances that would protect LGBTTQ people. Not surprisingly, it's proven divisive — condemned as a "national embarrassment" by North Carolina's attorney general, it later resulted in a civil rights lawsuit from the U.S. federal Justice Department. But while the situation south of the border remains volatile, Canadians can at least take comfort in knowing they're considered far more progressive in their approach to equality and inclusion, something Niemczak is reminded of whenever he meets with fellow advocates from around the world. "When they hear what Canada's doing — focusing on trans inclusion and gender identity and two spirit rights — we're sort of on step 10 of the LGBTTQ movement," he says. "Whereas countries like the U.S., where they just got marriage equality last year, are still on step two." There is, of course, still plenty of work to be done. Conversion therapy has yet to be banned at the federal level in Canada, age of consent laws and blood donor policies are still imbalanced in favour of heterosexuals, and the government has yet to add either gender identity or gender expression to the list of protected classes under the Canadian Human Rights Act (though legislation has been tabled to address the latter points.) Even here in Manitoba, the movement suffered a disappointing setback last month, when a Steinbach- area mother encountered hostility and online threats after appearing before the Hanover School Division to request they amend a policy preventing teachers from discussing families with same-sex parents. But overall, the news is encouraging, Niemczak says, noting the "coming out" age at which Manitobans first identify as LGBTTQ continues to drop — evidence that more and more people are choosing to live authentic lives, instead of suppressing parts of their personalities until they get older. That authenticity can help to spur change and strengthen communities — as it did in 1987, when 250 people gathered on the steps of Manitoba's Legislative Building to celebrate the aforementioned changes to the Human Rights Code. "By being true to yourself and true to your core, it shows you're not letting yourself be done in by societal norms, or by how people think you should dress or act," says Niemczak. "You're breaking those barriers that society and the general population attempt to put up over ourselves and other minority groups. "By being true to ourselves, we can allow ourselves to become a voice for those folks who are voiceless, or who haven't yet found their true selves, or who are afraid to be their true selves." Just as the social landscape is constantly changing, so too is the festival itself. This year marks the first time the province's Lieutenant Governor will speak at the rally preceding the Pride Winnipeg Parade — which serves as the rainbow-hued jewel in the crown of the closing weekend festivities. Over at The Forks, the same weekend's Pride Festival hours have been extended from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., giving attendees even more time to enjoy live music, peruse the PrideMart business fair, and quench their thirst at the Queer Beer beverage tent. As well, the regular closing night party has been reconceived as a kickoff, now welcoming guests to go down the rabbit hole at the "Alice in Prideland" event at nightclub 441 Main on May 27. Given that party's costume-appropriate theme, and the parade's continued status as a splashy showcase for cultural diversity, you can expect to see plenty of authentic lives on display at this year's festival — likely the one aspect of Pride that will never change. "It's why people look at it as our community's Christmas," says Niemczak. "It's the one day you can be who you want to be, dress however you want to dress, and express what you want to express, and no one's going to judge you — or even bat an eye." Pride Winnipeg president Jonathan Niemczak says those who discriminate against LGBTTQ people are on the wrong side of history. Photo by Darcy Finley THE TIMES, THEY'RE STILL A-CHANGING. And while the struggle for LGBTTQ rights and equality is far from over — as evidenced by even the most cursory survey of social media or the 24-hour news cycle — the movement has nonetheless made great strides in recent years, with community members witnessing a paradigm shift in public support.

• Cover