Last Friday we decided to make our front page for this Friday a feature on LGBTQ rights. The issue was timely with the province amending the Human Rights Code to include discrimination of transgender people. Locally, school trustee Sandra Nixon has been banging the drum about creating a more inclusive school policy. And, of course, many gay and gay-supporting Richmondites will be heading to Vancouver Sunday to take in one of the biggest pride parades in North America.
But the thing that really piqued our interest was the fact West Richmond Community Centre was hosting what they called a Rainbow Social. While it matters what’s happening elswhere, as a community paper our goal is to speak to those issues from a local perspective, to see our place in the larger context as well as explore how global issues play out at home.
To that end, we looked forward to connecting with organizers and participants of the Pride Social, but…well… it appeared the feelings were less than mutual. Yes, a Rainbow Social would be happening; no, you can’t talk to any participants; no, you can’t take a picture; no, we don’t have all that much to say about this.
One got the sense that, although the city was hosting this event, it didn’t exactly want the world to know about it. I suspect if this was the Maritime Festival, we would have had no end of opportunities for photos and interviews.
I appreciate there can be issues of privacy, but it seemed to me the cool reception had more to do with the city trying to walk a fine line between providing support for some, while not offending others.
In the midst of all this, I went for a workout at the City Centre Community Centre. On the advertising monitor in the gym there was an ad for the Rainbow Social. Just a few steps away are double doors that look into the foyer of the centre. Facing back is a life-sized poster promoting Trinity Western University. TWU is a Christian-based school that has taken a very clear stance in opposition to gay rights. By partnering with TWU, which bought the property and had it redeveloped to house both the centre and the school, the city was able to save money. But there’s a cost.
The point being, politicians know all about compromise. They know people have differing opinions; they also know who pays for what. What Richmond politicians could use a refresher on is the fact there are as many LGBTQ folks here as anywhere else. They deserve the same services, support and respect as any other group. It’s great we have the Rainbow Social, but it’s crazy we are so fearful and so far behind other Canadian cities when it comes to flying the rainbow flag.
