THUNDER BAY - The slight drizzle wasn't enough to stop the rainbow that flooded the streets during this year’s pride parade.
Hundreds of people marched from Waverley Park to the Marina on Saturday, an event which Tanya Ross says gets bigger and better every year.
“I’ve seen more colours every year, I’ve seen more age groups every year… Every year the groups become more diverse and bigger. It’s amazing.”
Ross, the coordinator of the parade, says she is proud of the community growth that has taken place in recent years.
“It just means the world to me to have everyone out showing their colours, and being proud.”
As far as noticeable change goes, grand marshal David Belrose has been apart of the LGBTQ2S community since the 70s, when he says things used to be a whole lot different.
“It was nothing like this. It was very closeted, and very quiet. So, this is an amazing difference.”
Belrose says the community mainly consisted of a few hotel bars where people met, but noticed the most profound change in the 80s.
“In 1980, I helped to establish the first community group: Gays of Thunder Bay,” Belrose said. “And then of course in 1985, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into effect.”
Even then, Belrose says the local progress has been tremendous, “It’s really great to see how things have changed.”
Even for newcomer Jordan Tucker, the pride parade was an encouraging look at the local LGBTQ2S community.
“I always thought growing up we had a closeted gay community,” said Tucker. “But seeing this I was really impressed.”
Tucker was joined by approximately 70 of his co-workers from Cineplex to celebrate the occasion. He added that the support from from his co-workers and the community has increased in recent years.
“I was walking around wearing a crop top and short shorts all day,” Tucker said. “You don’t receive a lot of outward hate.”
“More people are becoming accepting because we’re becoming a louder and prouder community.”
