PRIDE Weekend declared in Timmins

Rainbow flags will be waving proudly this weekend.

The city is declaring June 9-12 as “PRIDE Weekend,” and it was kicked off by a ceremony on the steps of Timmins city hall Friday afternoon.

“Four years ago, we thought this would never be possible and now we’re on our fourth year,” says Past-President of the Timmins PRIDE Committee Julie DeMarchi, who emceed the proclamation and flag raising.

She says this year’s focus is supporting and celebrating the bisexual community.

The Presidency switched just last week. Matthieu Villeneuve—the new President—made his first public speech in the new role.

“Pride is not a day,” he told the crowd, “It’s not a proclamation or a rally or even a parade. It’s not flags or noise makers, songs or speeches. It’s much greater than that. Its deeper than that. The concept of ‘pride’ is fierce, relentless, it’s unimaginable, boundless and undefined. It’s me, I am pride.”

“I am pride because pride belongs to me. It’s mine and I define it. I own it and I control it. And so do all of you. Pride is ours, yours and mine.”

Natasha St. James—a member of the bisexual community—says being bisexual isn’t some stepping stone to come out as homosexual.

“I’m not half gay or half straight,” she adds, “I am a complete whole person. It’s not just a phase. I am not a slut. I’m not just biding my time before I come out as a lesbian. I’m not doing it for the attention.”

“Bisexuality does exist. I am a good person, a great friend, I am passionate, I fight for gay rights, hell I fight for everyone’s rights. I’m a serial monogamous and I’m loyal, I’m loving. I’m kind. I’m funny. I’m driven and hard working. I am living for love. I’m bisexual and I know who I am.”

Alice Bouchard, who represented the transgender community, offered support.

“You have the right to be proud of who you are! Be loud! Prove you exist and prove to others they are not alone!,” Bouchard proclaimed, “Part of what Pride stands for is showing others that they are not alone and are valid, something I fear the bi community doesn’t hear or see enough of.”

PRIDE DAY ON SATURDAY

DeMarchi says they have lots planned for Saturday, starting at noon from Hollinger Park.

“(The purpose) is to bring folks together and just celebrating diversity, being diverse, being who we are and that’s what this is about,” she added, “It’s not about what label you hold or what non-label you hold. It’s just about celebrating being each other.”

Speeches and entertainment is scheduled to start around 1:15pm. The Drag Queens will perform two songs at the park to allow people of all ages to watch.

DeMarchi says it’s to give people more of an understanding on what Drag Queens is all about.

“When you don’t know, you have stereotypes and myths that you believe in,” she adds, “They’re fantastic entertainers. We want folks the opportunity to see that.”

More speeches and Zumba will take the day to around 2:45pm, with the annual PRIDE Parade starting at 3:00pm.

In the midst of the parade—on Algonquin just before the ONR overpass—DeMarchi says they’ll be holding a moment of silence for the victims of last year’s Orlando nightclub massacre. 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016, which also happens to be the same day of last year’s PRIDE Parade in Timmins.

“When we went home, I think it was 4am by the time I got home after clean up,” DeMarchi recalled, “Before you go to bed, you’re kind of scrolling Facebook and it was there, it happened that night, the same night that we were celebrating so it could happen to anyone.”

Festivities will continue at the park after the parade is done. From there at 8:00pm, everything moves over to the McIntyre Ballroom.

Local entertainment will go until around 9:30pm. Then at 10pm, Drag Queens brought in from Toronto—who DeMarchi exuberantly called “absolutely fantastic”—will perform. That show is a 19+ only event.

Tickets for the Drag Show are $30. CLICK HERE for their Facebook page, where you can message to get your hands on tickets. They’ll also be available at the door for $35.

“It’s no judgements, no stereotypes, it’s just good old fun and an opportunity to watch some amazing entertainers do some great stuff.”