Estevan is celebrating Pride Week for the first time this week, and if Monday’s kickoff is any indication, there is healthy public support for the celebrations.
About 50 people gathered next to the Estevan Courthouse on Monday for the kick-off. Several speakers discussed the importance to celebrate gender diversity and to end discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Some people in attendance carried the rainbow flag and other flags associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and intersexual (LGBTQI) communities. Others carried signs with such slogans as “Love is Love.”
Many others were there to show their support for Pride Week.
Across the street, the rainbow flag had already been raised in front of Estevan City Hall – the first time the flag has flown at the building. Mayor Roy Ludwig said last week that he was proclaiming June 26 to July 2 as LGBTQ Week in Estevan.
For Luca Kuchinka, a non-binary and pansexual from Estevan who organized the kickoff event, seeing the flag waving at city hall was a “momentous” occasion, and Kuchinka was thrilled to see so many people turn out for the launch.
“I feel an incredible rush of excitement, and I feel like I really belong in this community, which is really nice,” said Kuchinka, a 22-year-old who was born and raised in Estevan.
Kuchinka believes Estevan can be hard to define at times, because there are people who will discriminate. But those people are not the ones who define the community.
“You guys are the face of the community, and seeing you guys here means a lot to me personally, because it means that I’m not alone, and everybody else who is LGBT-plus is not alone,” said Kuchinka.
Autumn Bourque, who is involved with numerous organizations, including TransSask Support Services, Queen City Pride, Fierte Canada Interpride and Gender News, congratulated Estevan on their first Pride Week celebration.
“Pride represents a long struggle for the LGBTQI community,” said Bourque. “It brings awareness that we are people from all walks of life. This is how we show our support and care for all of our brothers and sisters.”
June has already been declared as Gender and Sexual Diversity Pride Month in Saskatchewan. Bourque believes this month has been a celebration of life as well as a time of sorrow, due to the massacre of 49 people at a gay bar in Orlando earlier in the month.
Bourque believes incidents like the one in Orlando are proof that more education is needed.
“As I have always said, education comes with understanding, respect and most importantly love,” said Bourque.
And events like a flag raising or a Pride Week launch are important for a community.
“Pride is not about the glitter, the fun or the parties. It’s about respect,” said Bourque. “It’s about not hiding in fear of being humiliated because of who we love or our gender expression. It’s about freedom.”
Other speakers included city Councillor Brian Johnson, Estevan police Chief Paul Ladouceur, Melissa Fiest and Kay Hemus from St. Paul’s United Church, and Mike Merriman, who is the superintendent of schools for the south area for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division. Each spoke of the need for equality and respect.
Merriman referred to the LGBTQI community as an ally for the division to ensure safety for students within schools.
“We’re in the process of educating our staff, students and school community counsellors to ensure that every school is a safe place in setting up alliances,” said Merriman.
Estevan MLA Lori Carr was unable to attend the event, but she sent a letter, which was read by her executive assistant, Susan Colbow. The letter echoed the statements from many of the other speakers.
Joe Wickenhauser, the executive director for Moose Jaw Pride, told the audience he was thrilled to see such a strong turnout in Estevan. Moose Jaw Pride helped organize the Pride Week activities for both Estevan and Weyburn.
He also stressed the need for continued education in Estevan.
The kickoff was the main activity in Estevan for Pride week. Kuchinka said Estevan will have more Pride-themed events in the future, and didn’t rule out the possibility of eventually having a Pride parade in Estevan.
