As a crowd marched through the streets of downtown Kelowna to Lady Gaga’s “Born this way” and trans pride chants, the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) raised the LGBTQ2+ and trans flags on the building’s rooftop Thursday evening.
The Youth Trans March and Social event was hosted by Etcetera, the youth division of Kelowna Pride and the RCA.
“Kids need to know they’re OK,” RCA executive director Tyler Russell said.
The Rotary Centre for the Arts decided to raise the Pride Society flag to acknowlede that inclusion is important to the community.
READ MORE: Kelowna Pride Society looks for community feedback
LGBTQ2+ supporters were delighted to see the flag raised.
'Because of you' is the theme of the 12th annual Pride Week, starting today and ending on Saturday, June 22 with the Festival in City Park and March starting at Stuart Park. https://t.co/NX4j6lsLnS#kelownapride #kelownapride2019 #downtownkelowna pic.twitter.com/AcYTKo76XJ
— City of Kelowna (@cityofkelowna) June 17, 2019
A group of other attendees called the gesture “majestic”, while Taylor Bray and Hollis, who are both affiliated with the RCA, said, “It makes (us) proud that something I’m a part of did that.”
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As a kid growing up in Kelowna, Russell said he knew how it felt to be bullied and unaccepted.
“I know what it’s like to have people chase after you and want to beat the crap out of you because you look a little queer,” Russell said. “In this town, on this street, we can’t have kids feeling that.”
Kelowna Pride will cap off with this year’s festivities with the annual Kelowna Pride Festival and March on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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David.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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