Pride Winnipeg

03 Shop with confidence and conscience Visit us during Pride Week for this Love is Love t-shirt and other items. Visit anytime at boutique.humanrights.ca CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS #AtCMHR 11096-CMHR-BoutiqueAd[LoveIsLove][10.375x3]-May2017-FNL-REV.indd 1 2017-05-16 10:42 AM MAY 26 - JUNE 4, 2017 To anyone who's attended a Pride parade recently, all the positive vibes, messages of empowerment and rainbow-hued pomp and pageantry can make it easy to forget the event's origins as an act of political protest. But after a year in which news cycles have been rife with debate over issues of inclusivity, representation and the ongoing fight for rights for marginalized populations, it's no surprise local Pride organizers chose to mark their 30th anniversary by going back to their political roots. This year's theme — Resurgence: Taking Back Space — serves as a call to action for members of the LGBTTQ community and their allies, to continue advocating on behalf of those who still face discrimination and social exclusion. "Pride has always been political — it's never stopped," says Jonathan Niemczak, president of the Pride Winnipeg Festival since 2012. "The messaging and the focus may have shifted to more of a celebration, but it's always served as a political demonstration. "This year, we're not saying that we can't have a celebration — that's still a key piece. But we do want to remind folks that there's still more work that needs to be done." The shift in focus is partly a response to criticisms levelled at Pride Winnipeg last year, by those who didn't feel they were being represented in the event's marketing materials, its organizing structure, or even in the parade itself. Local organizers issued an immediate public apology, and after consultations with many of those groups, came to a similar conclusion — namely, that the Pride movement (here and elsewhere) had made great strides over the years, but had predominately benefitted white, cisgender gays and lesbians. "[Members of those groups] have gotten to a point in society where they've gained quite a bit of acceptance, and can go about their day-to-day lives with minimal interference and oppression," says Niemczak. "When you look at other segments of our community — when you look at queer and trans persons of colour, or the Indigenous and two-spirit community — those folks haven't really gotten to that level yet. They still face a lot of barriers in their daily lives." That disparity was made clear during a Pride event in Toronto last summer, when Black Lives Matter activists brought the parade to a halt to issue a series of demands relating to a lack of diversity, funding and autonomy. Here in Winnipeg, local organizers also took those demands under consideration, in particular a call for a ban on police involvement in future Toronto parades. The issue sparked debate among Pride organizers across Canada, and conversations were still underway in mid-May to determine the best course of action here at home. "Our goal has always been to get to the root of the challenge — talking to those folks who have lived those experiences with police oppression in the community and then determining where those gaps are in terms of police, and how we can work collaboratively with them to try and fill in those gaps," Niemczak says. "It's hard to even say where the middle ground is, because it's such an open-ended issue and you do have people on two very far ends of the spectrum. At the end of the day, we're trying to find something that best serves the community, in our capacity as custodians of a non-profit." In keeping with the renewed commitment to representation, there are a number of new additions to this year's event roster, including the city's first-ever two-spirit powwow and Pride's inaugural trans march. And in a nod to where it all began, this year's parade will follow the same Portage Avenue route taken by the first group of Pride marchers in 1987. Though Niemczak himself wasn't born until a few months later, he's well aware that parade took place in a much less hospitable social and political climate, and recognizes the symbolism of the Portage route, especially to those who were there to walk it. "When we moved away from Portage and Main [to Broadway], there was a sense that we were 'hiding' the parade … and that wasn't ever the intent," he says. "So there's definitely been a demand in the community for us to go back to that route. "[The city was] kind enough to work with us this year … but unfortunately, it'll be a one-time thing." Niemczak promises Pride Winnipeg's commitment to inclusivity will not be a one-time thing, however, describing the recent paradigm shift as a series of "legacy changes" that will be embedded in the organization's core values going forward, and top of mind in all future planning. Noting "the vast majority" of Pride organizers in Canada tend to share his demographic profile, he even says he'd be thrilled to be the last gay white male to serve as Pride Winnipeg's president. "This isn't something unique to Winnipeg — all Pride parades and Pride organizations are going to have to deal with this," he says. "Because right now all the leaders look like me, and that can't carry on. "It's getting to the point where we have to start taking a back seat, and allowing those traditionally socially excluded groups to start taking the front seat — and leading the next wave of the movement." Pride, Political Protest and Progress WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET "This year, we're not saying that we can't have a celebration — that's still a key piece. But we do want to remind folks that there's still more work that needs to be done." Pride Winnipeg president Jonathan Niemczak. Photo by Darcy Finley

• Cover