THUNDER BAY – The flying of the pride flag at local schools remains a potent symbol, say advocates, as some Ontario school boards continue to resist the step.
The Lakehead District School Board held a small ceremony to raise the pride flag at its board office on Friday. The rainbow flag has flown there and at local schools for several years.
It was joined for the first time by the white, blue, and pink transgender flag this year.
“To see the transgender flag flying this year will symbolize to those who are struggling with their own gender journey that they are valued and accepted within the Lakehead public school board,” said Jason Veltri, president of the Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay.
The symbolic gesture is an extension of the school board’s motto, You belong here, its leaders said.
Alisha Gosselin-Quick of Thunder Pride said the flags continue to send an important message.
“For all the youth that will walk by and see the pride flag flying at their school, and know that they are supported and accepted, for the adults like myself and many others who will see the flag flying yet again… in their community, and see the progress made through love and dedication, and for those not yet born, who will be born into a world accepting of whomever they may be, that is why we do this,” they said.
Several Catholic school boards in Ontario raised pride flags for the first time in 2021, including in Toronto and Waterloo. Other Catholic school boards have opted against taking the step.
The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board first flew the pride flag in 2019, becoming among the first Catholic school boards in the province to do so.
Its flag-raising this year drew a small protest that was repudiated by the board and by a larger counter-protest.
Local pride ceremonies were pushed back this year to respect the lowering of flags to honour the memory of the 215 children found buried at a Kamloops, B.C. residential school.
