Organizers of Pride Week taking a stronger tone to the event.
While seen as a week of celebration, Borderland Pride’s Doug Judson says there’s still work to do when inequality, discrimination and target acts of violence against LGTBQ2S+ people continue.
He cited examples of actions by some political leaders on both sides of the border which cause concern to the LGBTQ2S+ community.
“That is simply unacceptable. Each one of us has a role in demanding more and better from our public office holders whether they sit in the mayor’s seat in International Falls or are running for the highest office in the land,” says Judson.
Judson also encouraged people to become more vocal.
He says they shielded participants from the negativity to Pride Week last year, but that’s not the case anymore.
As we move forward, our task requires us to expose homophobia and transphobia in order to build a movement so that each of us has the facts, has the knowledge, and awareness to challenge oppressive conduct and inequity when we see it.”
Still, Judson sees opportunities to celebrate, noting Pride is ‘punctuating a moment of transition for the area.’
“Things are changing, and through pride we can direct that transformation in a positive direction. We can better assert our small northern communities as places of welcome and inclusion.”
