“Say My (Chosen) Name” is the theme for this year’s pride parade in Quesnel.
Alison Prentice, the President of the Quesnel Pride Society, explains what it means.
“Say My Chosen Name is to support our trans community members who often get deliberate misuse of pronouns or they get their dead names used. Dead name is the name that they’re born with, but their chosen name is the name they have decided to go forward with.”
Prentice says 2022 was a very tough year for the queer community and in particular for the trans population, including here in Quesnel.
“Across Canada there was headline after headline after headline of verbal attacks, physical attacks, threats of violence, legislation such as Quebec had that was intended to out trans people. The headlines of School Trustees just this fall with slates of candidates, not just one or two, but slates of candidates who want to roll back protections for trans students, and that included here in BC. 30 candidates, two of whom got elected, fortunately not here in Quesnel.”
Prentice says it is even worse down in the United States.
She says that’s why the pride parade continues to be not just a celebration of how far we’ve come, but they’re also a protest about how far we need to go.
This year’s pride parade will take place on Saturday, June 10th.
Prentice says last year’s party after the parade was such a success that they’ve decided to move it into the arena.
“Last year we sold out early, so we are going to have it at the area to accommodate more people. We encourage people to get their tickets as soon as they come on sale. I believe February 1st is when we are going to open up ticket sales for the party.”
Prentice says DJ Riki Rocket will be back this year in the park and will also be at the party.
She says they also have a lot more planned.
“This year we are going to have BC’s own Drag Queen Freida Whales, who is going to host the party. Performances by four drag queens. We have the returning burlesque show “Foxy Follies”, we have the dinner and dancing.”
Prentice says they will also be holding a youth event again this year on June 7th at REV Bowling.
She says there will be bowling and pizza for a few hours.