TORONTO PRIDE. ΣΚΗΝΕΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΜΕΛΛΟΝ

Την περασμένη χρονιά οι διοργανωτές του Toronto Pride είχαν κατηγορηθεί, με μάλλον πειστικά στοιχεία, για "ροζ ξέπλυμα" πετρελαϊκών και άλλων εταιρειών με επενδύσεις αμφίβολης οικολογικής ευαισθησίας. Φέτος οι αμφισβητίες πέτυχαν να αποτρέψουν την παραδοσιακή τα τελευταία χρόνια συμμετοχή των αστυνομικών στην παρέλαση. 

Τα Πράιντ σε όλο και περισσότερες χώρες μετατρέπονται σταδιακά σε προνομιακό πεδίο σύγκρουσης "συστημικών" και "αντισυστημικών" ομάδων, που όλες προωθούν τις δικές τους κρυφές ατζέντες  άσχετες από τα λοαδ δικαιώματα και έχουν αδιαφανείς χρηματοδοτήσεις που όμως πρέπει να "ξεπληρώσουν". 

Η Ελλάδα, αν και χώρα της περιφέρειας, στο θέμα αυτό μοιάζει να παρακολουθεί τις εξελίξεις με σχετικά πολύ μικρή καθυστέρηση, όπως ήδη έχουμε δει στα πράιντ Αθήνας, Θεσσαλονίκης και μόλις το περασμένο σαββατοκύριακο σ' εκείνο της Κρήτης.

Θλίψη!

Toronto police not at Pride parade for 1st time since 2000

Councillor says police don't need a parade to improve conditions for officers within the force

By John Rieti, CBC News Posted: Jun 23, 2017

John Rieti covers city hall and city issues for CBC Toronto. Born and raised in Newfoundland, John has worked in CBC newsrooms across the country in search of great stories. Outside of work, catch him running or cycling around, often armed with a camera, always in search of excellent coffee.

Const. Danielle Bottineau won't lie, she wants to march in the Pride parade. But the officer who serves as the force's LGBT liason says the Toronto Police Service will keep working to improve its relationship with the gay community.

Pride Toronto and Chief Mark Saunders agreed uniformed officers wouldn't march in this year's parade — a demand made by Black Lives Matter Toronto during a demonstration that brought last year's event to a standstill. That group, and others, say the presence of armed officers is intimidating for some people taking part in the annual festivities.

The controversial decision means that for the first time since 2000, police officers won't make the turn from Bloor Street on to Yonge, an emotional experience Bottineau called "overwhelming."

Bottineau, who has marched for the last decade, said she sometimes thinks of the first officers who took to the streets.

"If it wasn't for members that were willing to put themselves out there in uniform, we wouldn't be where we are today," she told CBC Toronto.

Bottineau and other officers can march in the parade without their uniforms, but she said that doesn't seem right to her. The force will, of course, provide security for the major downtown event, which begins at Bloor and Church streets at 2 p.m. on Sunday, and will roll down Yonge to Gerrard.

Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam said she appreciates Bottineau's work, but said police don't need to be in a parade to foster acceptance and respect for LGBT members in the workforce.

"Pride is political," she said.

"If the police really want to be allies, and if the police really want to support the LGBT community, I would hope that they'd be able to recognize that."