Last week was "Pride Week" in Toronto. This celebration of "Gay Pride" is one of the cities biggest celebrations and, like previous years, went without a hitch. When you think about that, this says a lot about how things have chnaged in this country in the past 50 years.
There is something remarkable about the fact that hundreds of thousands of people got together to celebrate, support, or just plain gawk at their gay family, friends, and neighbours. While the city saw gun violence, none of it was directed towards gays. If there were gay-bashing incidents, I didn't hear about them in the news.
I have to admit, I don't quite see the Pride Parade as a "family friendly" event like some people do. In my opinion, exposed buttocks and leather chaps are not suitable viewing for young children. Having said that, I don't see anything wrong with acknowledging we live in a diverse society.
I know many people in the United States who find this aspect of Canadian culture very difficult to understand. My minister, who is a recent arrival from the United Kingdom, also comments about the degree to which Canadians "live in the grey areas". This does not bother me -- what some might see as a curse, I see as a blessing. I am happy to live in a country that allows its citizens to live without fear of being harmed for being themselves.
