Who cares about Pride

As the Vancouver Pride festivities heat up this week, I find myself questioning the need for a Pride celebration any longer. In fact I was saying to my partner just the other day the lustre of Pride has worn off a bit for me.

That was until this morning when I opened up Xtra West! and read about the gaybashing that occurred at the Queer Prom youth dance back on June 27th.

Seems everyone agrees that there was a hate crime here - problem is none of the people involved, not the victim nor the witness, are willing to cooperate with police in providing statements because of concerns for their privacy. Without those statements police are unable to pursue the matter. For me this is why we still need Pride - so that one day this type of incident no longer happens and if it does, victims are not afraid to talk to police simply because they are gay.

So armed with my new found reason for Pride this year you can expect to hear me among the crowd at this Sunday's parade as I'll be the one that is cheering just that little bit louder.