Pride Toronto XXX

by Dong Young Kim

Pride Toronto’s 30th Anniversary will be held from June 25th to July 4th.
 
Gay Pride, first started in San Francisco, is a festival worth seeing and is held in many cities around the world.
In Canada, Pride festivals are held in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec and other big cities.
 
Canada is one of the few countries that recognize same-sex marriage. Not only this, but Canada has little prejudice and discrimination by comparison with many other nations, and they can make their voices heard with all kinds of events and festivals.
In Quebec, same-sex married couples have had the same legal rights as heterosexual couples since 1999. Same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada in 2005, the third country to do so.
 
This kind of the policy has helped the Canadian economy. The number of homosexual visitors from the US is higher than before. Also, the number of visitors to Montreal’s Pride festivities averages several hundred thousand. Nobody ignores tourist income generated by Gay Pride celebrations.
 
Pride Week in Toronto is not just a festival for homosexuals. Anyone who wants to go along can. It is also an event to show your support for a truly free society blurring the distinction between the majority and diverse minorities.
 
There are parents who want to attend to show their support for their homosexual sons and daughters. Their purpose is to deliver a message about human rights and to broaden awareness of AIDS prevention.
 
The rainbow flag is, to quote Wikipedia, “a sign of diversity and inclusiveness, of hope and of yearning”. You can find it everywhere during Pride week, and you can enjoy real culture as varied as the colours in the flag.
 
If you want to know more details, see http://www.pridetoronto.com/