City Council made two unanimous motions at its regular meeting Monday in support of inclusiveness in the city.
The first motion saw Council declare the week of May 19 to 25, as Yorkton Pride Week.
“As new life comes to our community with the first days of spring, we need to celebrate just how far we have come in the last few years with regards to pride,” noted a letter requesting the week from Laura Budd with Moose Jaw and Saskatchewan pride organizations.
“To celebrate the members of our families, community, workplaces, that are gender and sexually diverse. To create space for those that have often not had a place or voice to bring their whole selves to the table. We live in hopeful forward thinking city that believes in being a safe, secure place in the world.”
While steps have been made Budd said others still need to feel included.
“As we see schools starting GSA’s (Gay Straight Alliance’s) they are not yet in all schools, as we see families, homes and workplaces having discussion and taking training to be more inclusive of the LGBT members of our community not all are,” detailed Budd’s letter.
That is why the week is important, offered Budd, writing “It is through this celebration and visibility that we with privilege to be ourselves, be free and openly whole, create this space for those struggling to understand, those who worry about the loss of their shelter, food or support for sharing their truth, their uniqueness.”
In addition to marking the week Council was also asked to approve a request for the painting of a rainbow coloured crosswalk in our city.
“We have seen other cities in our province like Swift Current put in a permanent rainbow cross walk or cities such as Saskatoon install rainbow crosswalks to celebrate pride in their city,” wrote Budd.
“We feel it is time we take a leadership position in east central Saskatchewan and install a rainbow crosswalk in our city to show our support for the Gender and Sexually diverse members of our community that have often not felt welcome or safe here.”
Council again was unanimous in supporting a crosswalk be installed on Gladstone Avenue near the Yorkton Regional High School to coincide with the Pride Flag that will fly there during Pride Week.
