We hope people recycle our newspaper when they’re done reading. This week, however, we encourage people to consider displaying the Pride Month wrap around today’s issue or at least pause to think about what it symbolizes.
This year we are printing the ‘progress’ Pride flag. The flag retains the familiar rainbow, but in addition to representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit plus community, the progress flag adds a chevron design representing marginalized people of colour, trans individuals, and those living with HIV/AIDS or those who have died. The chevron is also meant to represent an arrow, and while it depicts forward movement, “progress still needs to be made.”
We hope that some of that progress can happen this month in Abbotsford. For a second year in a row, the COVID-19 pandemic means that many of the community events and celebrations that would typically mark Pride Month aren’t happening. The 2021 Fraser Valley Virtual Pride Festival runs from July 16 to 24. Email info@fvpride.ca for more information.
Fraser Valley Pride has grown considerably since its first official Pride event in 2013. What started out as a walk around the downtown of Abbotsford and a barbecue in the parking lot of Abbotsford Community Services has become a week of Pride festivities in Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission.
It’s wonderful to be proud of who we are. It’s fundamental to be accepted for who we are. In Abbotsford, we can get closer to being a community where people can be accepted, and be proud, and be their true selves.
Let’s make progress this month.
