Last week, I went to my first town council meeting in Inuvik. When I saw the Aurora Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club listed on the agenda, I was intrigued. And so was the council.When Katelynn Crocker, one of the GSA members, announced the club would be hosting its very first pride event, councillors were overwhelmingly supportive.
Councillors offered the GSA ideas for funding, their contacts, and the suggestion to formally request that the town close off part of the road so that the event can be enjoyed to the fullest. One councillor complimented their courage to come forward, and another said their work was admirable.
Inuvik Mayor Jim McDonald encouraged the GSA to bring any requests they have in the future forward, and said the town would do its best to accommodate them.
Councillors offered their support and told the GSA to keep up the good work. Council’s support for the GSA’s pride parade is incredibly important. It shows LGBTQ+ youth that Inuvik community leaders accept and support them.
In her presentation, Crocker mentioned there isn’t always such a supportive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community in town.
“We think that pride week will provide visible and public support to youth who are otherwise often marginalized, bullied, or ignored by their community or family. Pride week will show LGBTQ+ youth that they have allies and a safe place they can go to in the community,” Crocker
said.
Council’s support for the GSA pride parade demonstrates that the attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community is slowly changing for the better in Inuvik.
I’ve only been in town for two-and- a-half weeks, so I don’t personally know how pervasive homophobic attitudes that Crocker mentioned are in Inuvik. However, in many places I’ve been, homophobia is more present than many of us realize or would like to admit.
That being said, based on council’s positive reaction to the GSA pride event, Inuvik is on the right track to becoming a more accepting and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
I hope that other organizations and individuals in the community will follow council’s lead and do what they can to support the GSA’s pride parade however they can. Whether they donate money, resources, time, or simply show up to participate in the event, it is important for everyone to come together to show Inuvik’s LGBTQ+ youth that they are safe and supported.