Pride: a testament to social progress

Re Pride and Joy, June 29 The good “mayor of all the people” John Tory looked to be having a wonderful time at the Pride Parade. It was heartwarming to see the influx of friendly heterosexuals, including many senior couples, who ventured into the Church-Wellesley corridor patios, streets and bars, having a drink envisaging a culture that is now welcomed with little things like the TD Bank securing a large rainbow flag under the reception desk of their Spadina-Queen St. branch, to the illumination of the CN Tower and the White House in the rainbow colours.

Timing could not be better, with last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting all same-sex couples marriage rights “in concert with the majority,” according to U.S. public opinion polling.

The momentum of progress at hand may very well leave many of us baby boomers witnessing the ascension of a gay man or a lesbian to the helm in Canada or the White House in our lifetime, which would have been unimaginable in the 1970s. David C. Searle, Toronto Your front-page coverage of Pride is a shame. Yes, a few days before you gave us a history of gay in Toronto. But that is the past. And now, front page, all we get is the same old stereotype of men in drag. On the inside page there was a photo of the celebrities, and then more glitter (a guy in high heels). Have you no capacity for balance?

A photo of the contingent carrying signs of protest against draconian gay policies in other countries (including Russia’s Vladimir Putin) might have gone a long way to reminding your readers that Pride is really a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots and is still political-based to an extent.

You might at least have shown a photo of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — men in drag, yes, but with a purpose linked to advancing political choices concerning AIDS patients and the like. Or a photo of the cop in uniform marching hand in hand with his boyfriend.

Now that would change the stereotypes for those who have never been to Pride. Try to do better next year. Ken Cowan, Toronto