Both the Transgender flag (left) and the New Progress Pride flag (right) were raised at City Hall on Tuesday, June 4, marking the official kick off of Pride festivities in Nanaimo. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

be yourself

‘Every individual can be celebrated for who they are:’ Pride month festivities underway in Nanaimo

Jun 5, 2024 | 5:41 AM

NANAIMO — Pride Month is officially underway in the Harbour City.

Around 300 people were on hand Tuesday, June 4 to watch both the New Progress Pride flag and the Transgender flag raise at Nanaimo City Hall, marking the official start of a month’s worth of planned events and celebration of diversity, inclusivity and acceptance.

Nanaimo Pride Society’s Lauren Semple, told NanaimoNewsNOW a lot of work has gone into a full schedule of events, concentrated over the next week.

“We really just want to ensure that everyone that is coming out feels safe and comfortable and included to be themselves, so our theme this year is ‘Be Yourself’. We hope folks will come out and feel welcome and included to celebrate their true, authentic self and just bring that out to Pride.”

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A full schedule of events is available on the Nanaimo Pride website.

Highlights include an adults-only comedy show on Wednesday, June 5, a Sober Pride Dance Party on Friday, June 7 and the annual parade and Pride festival on Sunday, June 9.

Drag shows, a film festival and various art-based activities are also planned throughout June.

Semple said they’ve planned an eclectic schedule to reflect the scope of the community.

“There’s a lot of diversity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, there’s a lot of identities, a lot of lived experience and a lot of intersections. There’s no right or wrong way to be gay, to be trans, it’s all a big, beautiful colour wheel and spectrum.”

Semple added Pride festivities might be the only chance the whole year some have to truly express themselves, thanks in large part to societal or home pressures.

“In everyday life, in our educational institutions, our jobs, our communities even and sometimes even in our own homes and family lives members of this community can’t be themselves, it’s not safe, or they’re not welcomed to just be their authentic self and making sure Nanaimo Pride can create those spaces and have those events where each and every individual can be celebrated for who they are.”

Around 300 people took in some musical performances, speeches and also watched the flag raising outside City Hall on Tuesday. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Tuesday’s flag-raising was a reminder of a darker and relatively recent history.

Multiple speakers remarked how a similar event would not have occurred even 20 years ago, and a regular proclamation from the City’s Mayor on Pride Month didn’t become standard practice until 2009.

Rick Meyers, vice president of Nanaimo Pride Society, lived through many of those dark times which saw him ostracized and outcasted.

He’s born and raised in Nanaimo.

“Back in the 70’s and 80’s, this was not a friendly place at all for queers. I was on my way to a movie when I was 16 years old and got beat up by a bunch of people because I was slightly effeminate. Ironically, it happened to be where the rainbow crosswalks are downtown.”

Meyers said ultimately the message for all is “love’s love”.

“Look around, all these different types of people, they’re all happy, they’re all here to celebrate and the biggest thing is they all feel safe. Yes this might not be a perfect world, but we have a lot more safe places now.”

Sunday’s parade will see participants march and dance their way through downtown Nanaimo to Maffeo Sutton Park beginning at 11 a.m., where a Pride Festival will be held from noon until 5 p.m.

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