Activist calling on community’s support at Pride festivities

The 2SLGBTQIA+ community is facing a recent rise in hate and they’re calling on residents to show up and stand in solidarity with the community.

Capital Pride 2023 kicked off on Aug. 19, and some highlights set to take place this weekend include ‘Ottawa March for Trans Rights’ and ‘Capital Pride Parade’.

Fae Johnstone, trans activist and executive director of Wisdom2Action, has been named the Grand Marshal of the 2023 Capital Pride Parade. She’s urging Ottawans – especially straight and cisgender peers – to show up in record numbers to Pride celebrations.

“Ever since I started going to Pride at 17-years-old, it was a time of joy and celebration and it absolutely still is,” said Johnstone. “We have so much to be proud of but the tone this year is different.”

The community is coming together for a Trans March on Friday, Aug. 25 to advocate for trans right and confront the rise in hate we’re seeing in our city and across the country, she added.

The March for Trans Rights is taking place at 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Bank and Laurier in an effort to defend the dignity, humanity and rights of trans, two spirit and gender diverse people, Johnstone said in a social media post.

According to Statistics Canada (StatCan), there were seven alleged hate crimes targeting transgender or agender people reported to police, in 2016. But this number jumped to 33 alleged hate crimes in 2021, the last year with available data.

There has been a similar rise in hate crimes targeting people’s sexual orientation. Based on StatCan data, there were 423 reported incidents in 2021, compared with 176 in 2016. Additionally, between 2020 and 2021, data showed a 64 per cent increase in police-reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation,

“Traditionally, the Trans March in Ottawa has been a small community gathering but this year, we’re pulling out all the stops because we need to show those young trans kids that this city has their backs,” she explained.

Experts point out, those stats are not completely accurate, with the actual number of incidents always being higher than numbers reported to police.

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has raised concerns about an increase in hate targeting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Ottawa. OPS said the number of reported hate-motivated incidents has risen dramatically, compared with this time last year.

According to a release from OPS, they’ve seen a 23.5 per cent rise in hate-and-bias-motivated incidents since 2022, with 221 reports of hate-motivated incidents this year, alone. Statistics provided by Ottawa Police show 32 hate incidents directed at the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, ranking second after the Jewish community.

“So often, these types of incidents go unreported and we know that this data only provides a glimpse of what people are experiencing out in the community,” OPS chief Eric Stubbs, is quoted saying.

Johnstone told The Sam Laprade Show that while the joy and celebration remains, below the surface, there’s a desperate call to action for residents to stand up against hate in our communities.

“Our theme is celebration and resilience in the midst of hate and we’re inviting businesses, non-profits, parents, families, friends and allies to show up and stand with us,” she added.

According to Johnstone, rhetoric discussing conflict within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is amplified by anti-trans and anti-gay organizations, in efforts to create division within the community and help further their agenda. This, in turn, threatens the rights of not only trans people, but everyone at once, she added.

Johnstone goes on to say collected data reflects that lesbian and gay community members stand with their ‘trans siblings.’

“We are united in our diversity and in our hopes for a better future,” expressed Johnstone. “All of us want a world where gay kids aren’t kicked out of their homes and where trans kids are able to grow up to be welcomed and thrive as adults.”

Members of this community have faced strained relationships with family members, but this has changed in recent times, she explained. To receive support from parents, aunts, uncles, and more, will remind children they’re not alone.

“For those kids reading headlines and are feeling scared about where things are headed, that support from adults and parents really does mean the world,” said Johnstone.

Back in June, three schools in Ottawa’s west end saw a rally nearby with around 100 supporters, protesting against puberty blockers for children who identify as transgender and teaching gender identity in schools. Trans-friendly counter-protesters joined in and stood up against hate directed towards the trans community.

“My hope is to help remind ourselves, as much as Pride is a celebration and the best party in town, it’s also a moment to activate, organization and stand up,” said Johnstone.

According to Toby Whitfield, executive director of Capital Pride, online and in-person hate targeted events they’ve hosted, including protests during Winter Pride and Pride Month in June

“We’ve certainly seen targeting of our social media and events as well,” he said. “I know other artists and performers in the community and local activists, including Fae herself, have been targeted.”

Capital Pride said they’re expecting 10,000 marchers and over 200 organizations, businesses and sports team to join in Sunday’s parade. The organization is anticipating the largest Pride Parade to date, with large crowds spanning the entire parade route.

“I think this really speaks to the interest from the community and coming out loudly and proudly to march in support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,” said Whitfield.

Capital Pride said they’ve received positive feedback from community organizations, businesses and the general public, in the first few days of the festival, and they’re hopeful to see the entire community stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

The Capital Pride Street Festival is taking place on Saturday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug 27.

The following streets will be closed at the listed times on Sunday, 27 August for the staging of the annual Capital Pride Parade:

• From 6 am to 4 pm: Laurier Avenue West, between Nicholas and Elgin streets
• From noon to 4 pm:
  • Elgin Street, between Slater and McLeod streets
  • Gladstone Avenue, between Cartier and Kent streets
  • Kent Street, between McLeod and Albert streets
• From 3 to 5 pm: Laurier Avenue West between Lyon Street South and O’Connor Street

 

CityNews Ottawa’s own Sam Laprade and Jason White will be broadcasting live from the Capital Pride Street Festival on Aug. 26.