Fierté Sudbury Pride taking 'extra steps' for safety, security during week-long events

Given the troubling reports recently of harassment, hate and threats against the LBGTQ community, Fierté Sudbury Pride is keeping safety and security top of mind as the team prepares for next week's events.

In recent months, LGBTQ communities in Canada and the U.S. have reported threats, harassment and protests at Pride events.

"We've had to really reassess and re-examine the way that we do Pride," said chair Katlyn Kotila. She added that the team has been proactive in planning.

"Making sure that people feel confident and comfortable in the space that they're in," she said.

"That they don't feel afraid to be able to be themselves; that they can participate as their full authentic self. If we have harassers and counter-protestors at these events that's not creating a very safe space."

The team has assessed each venue to be used. There will also be trained volunteers and marshals at each Pride event. 

"We want to just make sure we are doing our due diligence to make sure everyone is as safe as possible…I would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared," Kotila said.

She admitted there have been vague threats on social media, but nothing that would warrant cancelling Pride events.

"That was never an option for us," Kotila said.

This year will mark the 25th anniversary of Fierté Sudbury Pride.

"We were not going to let a couple of vague social media threats rain on our parade."

Planning Temiskaming's first Pride

Temiskaming Pride held its very first event last week.

Reading news stories about threats against LGBTQ communities, especially in small towns in Ontario, hit close to home for organizer Peter Landers.

They admit they were the 'nervous older person in the group.'

"I was very much paying attention to the news in the last few weeks and months about the responses that have been showing up for all sorts of Pride events," Landers said.

"It was scary in a sense that you know, you don't know …so you start interpreting everything as a potential red flag," they said.

It was scary in a sense ... you start interpreting everything as a potential red flag.- Peter Landers, Temiskaming Pride

Landers said the initial announcement about Temiskaming Pride's event was removed due to abusive comments.

One concern was the route for the Pride Parade. It was along the boardwalk where there is a stretch running parallel to a busy street, leaving participants vulnerable.

"It's so frustrating to even have to think about that stuff in 2022, but there we are, you know," they said.

In the end there were no problems.

"We saw nothing but happy faces," Landers said. "We actually had a very very large crowd turn out along the boardwalk."

West Nipissing Pride Fest

Many of the recent threats in the news have been targeted toward drag performers, and those who read during story time at municipal libraries.

Jenna Seppa (pronounced Je ne sais pas) is a drag performer in Sturgeon Falls, who was recently part of an event planned by West Nipissing Pride.

That's the drag name of Michel Gervais, who is also the president of West Nipissing Pride.

The drag show was held at a venue that serves alcohol, so the audience had to be over 19. Gervais said that helped to alleviate some of their security concerns. 

There were security guards at the door and every patron had a ticket to the show.

"And we made sure that people at the door — the organizers — were very cautious of who was entering, or was leaving the building."

The performers also had a separate area of the building for safety and show purposes. 

"I wanted to make sure our guests were safe," Gervais said.

Gervais said he has had to deal with his own safety concerns while in drag in Toronto.

"Nothing that actually put me in direct danger, luckily. But I've had Ubers cancel and just drive off or been yelled slurs at."

In the meantime, Fierté Sudbury Pride plans to have extra security at events where large crowds are expected and at youth events next week.

"We would rather take those extra steps and ensure that people can enjoy these spaces safely than cancel and potentially miss out on youth and other people within our community having a space where they can meet others who may be like them and to help people feel less alone," Kotila said.