In June I attended a counter-protest to an “anti-woke protest” right here in Ottawa. On Sunday I attended Capital Pride; here’s what I think.
Capital Pride
On August 25, members of the Ottawa trans and gender-diverse community and their supporters marched through downtown, sending a message of pride, resilience, and solidarity.
Organizers expected more than 65,000 attendees on the eve of the parade.
Companies consistently take advantage of what’s “in,” whether its body positivity, mental health, or gay rights, and at the end of the day, they are the only ones who profit. The LGBTQ+ community, as with other minority groups, deserve more than a weekend to celebrate their right to exist in the world.
Unlike previous Pride festivals in Ottawa, which have have been smaller and had limitations, this year saw performances take stage on both weekend nights, the expansion of community engagement, and also a project to increase youth participation.
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We need to demand that Capital Pride acts as a platform to lift injustice from the shadows, educate the public, and put civil rights back to the forefront of political discourse.
The street was lined with an array of businesses, banks, political parties, and charitable organizations—like the Foundation for Wellness Professionals of Ottawa—all standing in solidarity and support for the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights.
Organizers have announced that this year’s Capital Pride festival is set to take place from August 17-23. This will be the 30th anniversary of the event.
ONE OF OTTAWA’S most colourful parades took place on Aug. 25, wrapping up the weeklong Capital Pride Festival. For the first time in nearly a decade, the parade route stretched down Bank Street, through Ottawa’s gay village, and ended at Marion Dewar Plaza at City Hall.
