Calgary Pride ban on uniformed officers a step forward: expert
The decision by Calgary Pride to reject uniformed police officers marching in this year’s parade has been met with contention but, according to an expert, it’s a step forward.
Kris Wells, faculty director of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta, said Calgary Pride has taken a “very rational and reasoned approach” in their decision.
“Needs of communities change as people feel safer and more comfortable to voice concerns, and police need to listen to that,” said Wells.
“I see it as a way to continue forwarding that dialogue and putting important community issues on the table and agreeing to work together to ensure that everyone feels included in Pride.”
LONG HISTORY
Kevin Allen, lead researcher of the Calgary Gay History Project, has documented the long, hard history the LGBTQ community has had with law enforcement.
Allen writes that in 1967, Everett Klippert, a Calgary bus driver, received a life sentence in jail just for being gay. This created changes around the laws regarding homosexuality, but Calgary politicians and leaders were opposed to decriminalization.
In the 1970s, Calgary police tracked gay student activists and asked the University of Calgary for their records, which the university refused to provide. Continuing into the ’80s, gay men were harassed in Central Memorial Park and would sometimes be incarcerated without cause.
And most recently, Goliath’s, a gay bathhouse, was raided in 2002 by police for being a common bawdy house.
There were some concerned about the decision Wednesday, saying it was a step backwards in equality, with Mayor Naheed Nenshi among the voices expressing disappointment.
“Blaming current people for historical oppression would be like saying: ‘previous mayors of Calgary have refused to proclaim Pride Week, therefore the current mayor of Calgary isn’t invited to the parade.’ I have a challenge with that.”
VOICES — Calgary’s Coalition of People of Colour in the LGBTQ community, sees things differently. In a statement released Wednesday, the group asked those who disagree with them to consider why some LGBTQ Calgarians say they’re experiencing oppression.
“Isn’t this the same argument some extreme conservatives out there use against us, like, ‘why should we have GSAs in schools just because a few students want to gather in a safe space and have a voice? Why did we legalize samesex marriage for those few people who want to have the same legal rights as other couples?’”