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CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
St. John's Pride sees 'one of the largest festival turnouts ever' at weekend parade
More than 3,800 people celebrated in downtown St. John's on Sunday, walking in St. John's Pride's annual parade for 2SLGBTQ+ rights. "We believe this is one of the largest festival turnouts ever," said St. John's Pride communications lead, Ellen Davis, in a statement. The parade started at St. John's city hall, where over 2,400 marchers gathered before snaking through downtown St. John's, ending in Bannerman Park for a large celebration. Over 1,400 people also joined as spectators, said Davis. Davis commended the work of the St. John's Pride board and volunteers, who she said worked hard to put off the event. "Our volunteer board is now taking some well earned rest," said Davis. "This festival takes hundreds of planning hours, thousands of emails, tough conversations, late nights, early mornings, and long days. It takes a village." This year's pride festival theme was "no going back." St. John's Pride co-chair, Eddy St. Coeur, told CBC news on July 18 that the theme was chosen in consideration of rising political attacks against transgender people. The parade was led by Trans Support N.L., a non-profit that provides support to the trans community, "so that we have our entire community, figuratively and quite literally, marching behind [them] down the streets of St. John's," said St. Coeur. 'Walking together towards justice' Trans Support N.L.'s board director, Myka Hollahan, said she felt joy being surrounded by the community while speaking at the Bannerman Park celebration. Hollahan gave a speech about the importance of allyship, and reflected on how it can feel for people to mess up, like by using the wrong pronouns. But, she said, "imperfect allies are still allies." "They're the ones who show up even when they're nervous. They're the ones who say, I don't know, but I want to learn. They're the ones who keep coming back even after they mess up," said Hollahan. "They're the ones who take accountability and are committed to learning and doing better." "And that matters, because allyship isn't about being right all the time. It's about being willing." Hollahan wrapped up her speech by reflecting on the festival, and pointing out that it is not just a celebration, but also about "recognizing that progress doesn't require perfection, it requires people … walking together towards justice," she said. Over 100 community groups and organizations also walked in the parade, including members of St. Mark's Anglican Church. The church's rector, Amanda Taylor, said it was important for them to be there, due to rising hatred and division in the world. "We just feel it's important to show up, and show that we respect the dignity of every human being ... everybody is loved, valued, [and] accepted just as they are," said Taylor.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- CTV News
Police investigating ‘disturbing' vandalism of Pride crosswalk in rural Newfoundland
An RCMP collar tab pin is seen in Edmonton, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson ST. JOHN'S — Police say someone has vandalized a Pride crosswalk in the rural Newfoundland community of Botwood. RCMP say the perpetrators painted the phrase 'walk of sham' across the colourful walkway, though they may have intended to write 'walk of shame.' The Mounties said the 'disturbing' vandalism occurred some time overnight on Wednesday, and they are investigating it as a case of mischief and property damage. Eddy St. Coeur with St. John's Pride says the vandalism is blatant bigotry and he is calling on the town and the provincial government to better support and protect LGBTQ+ people. He says there is not enough recognition about how unsafe LGBTQ+ people feel in the province. A report last month from Paris-based research firm Ipsos, which profiled 26 countries, says Canada showed sharp drops in support for LGTBQ+ people since 2021. Botwood, N.L., is about 260 kilometres northwest of St. John's, and it is home to some 2,775 people. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025 The Canadian Press
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The last gay bar in St. John's has closed. Now, the 2SLGBTQ+ community is making its own safe spaces
St. John's is without an official gay bar this Pride month — but a patchwork of queer-run events are creating safe nighttime spaces for the 2SLGBTQ+ community anyway. Hanya Eid is part of a group called the Queer Picnic, which organizes both all ages and 19+ events for women and gender-diverse people. "We want people to really immerse themselves. It's kind of like a fun, sexy, playful environment type thing," she said in an interview with CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show. "But at the forefront of that is, like, everyone's safety and comfort." The group's Lavender Lounge dance parties bring together iconic queer media, from films like Jennifer's Body to musicians like Britney Spears and Chappell Roan. Eid said the events are open to everyone, but are specifically focused on people who identify as FLINTA — female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, transgender and agender — and who may have felt out of place, even at 2SLGBTQ+ events. "We celebrate everyone, but we also, you know, celebrate and honour the challenges that people face," she said. "You know, female-identifying or non-binary and trans people within the queer community." For decades in Canada, bars served as gathering places for 2SLGBTQ+ people who couldn't be themselves in public for fear of reprisal. Raids on gay bars in cities like Toronto and Montreal served as catalysts for 2SLGBTQ+ rights movements. Eddy St. Coeur, chair of St. John's Pride, said even today, queer bars still serve as important spaces — especially for vulnerable or questioning members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. "If you were downtown and you wanted to go be in [the] community, there were known spaces that were designated as safe, queer, welcoming spaces that truly lived up to that, and people would gravitate toward it," he said. "The problem now is that we don't have that anymore." For over a decade, Velvet Club and Lounge largely served as a focal point for the city's 2SLGBTQ+ scene. That came to an end last November, after local drag queen Tara Nova criticized the bar's pay for drag artists in comments made on Canada's Drag Race. Though the venue did increase performer pay, it ultimately closed in February. Lee Hurley, a Memorial University student and reporter for The Muse, wrote a story about the 2SLGBTQ+ community's reaction to the closure. Hurley said they spoke with some transgender and non-binary people who weren't sorry to see the bar close. But they also heard from some 2SLGBTQ+ people who felt like they could be themselves at the bar. "They were super devastated because that kind of seemed like their only safe space," Hurley said. Without an official 2SLGBTQ+ bar, some members of the queer community are gravitating to different sections of the local music scene. Hurley said they attend queer-friendly indie rock and punk shows. "It's kind of like a little hidden queer nightlife in itself, I suppose," they said. Shauna Gilpin and Jenesta Power have been holding queer-friendly techno parties under the label Lavi Seks, the name of their now-closed bar. Gilpin said a Lavi Seks event is all about the music and the people. "The music is why people are coming, like music and connection," she said. "People meet on the dance floor, you know? It's like a community." Power said the duo, who both identify as queer, are creating their own safe space. "If you can kind of inspire some other queer kids that are, you know, from around the bay like I am, to say, like, 'hey, I can be myself. I can start something and kind of be successful at it within a small community,' you know, that's a win for me," Power said. Drag performers adapt For years, Velvet served as the main place to find drag performances in St. John's. But according to Lukus Oram-Feltham — who performs as Tara Nova — drag artists have quickly adapted, performing at other venues which don't specifically cater to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. "People don't realize sometimes that, like, a queer space isn't just a spot that has a rainbow flag on it necessarily. A queer space is what you make it," he said. Still, Oram-Feltham believes 2SLGBTQ+ specific spaces are still important, especially for people who identify as transgender, non-binary or gender-non conforming. "These queer spaces are a place where they can go and feel, like absolutely accepted and not have to worry about being criticized about the way that they look or the way that they present," he said. "That's what I believe a queer space is, a space where we can all just go in and be comfortably ourselves." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.
