“Happy Pride!” came from several in the crowd, followed with applause, as 14 Wing Greenwood raised the flag to start June as Pride month and the days and weeks ahead as Pride season.
Hosted by the wing’s Defence Team Pride Advisory Group, Defence Team members gathered at 26 Canadian Forces Health Services June 2. 14 Wing military DTPAO champion, Lieutenant-Colonel Alex Gignac, and DTPAO civilian co-chair Wayne Kelley welcomed all, detailing a short list of wing and community events that lie ahead – and sharing an invitation to join in.
“Pride month starts in June, and there’s a whole month of events and celebrations as a time to show your pride and support,” said Gignac. “We’d encourage everyone to get involved.”
DTPAO member Captain Michelle Backhouse reminded the gathering “Pride started out as a riot.
“Throughout the years, that has changed from a protest to a time of celebration, but we have to remember where it started. There are so many flag-raisings for awareness and remembrance, and Pride is a time we show the world who we are, and that we are fortunate to have the rights and freedoms we do. Pride started as a riot – and that can happen anywhere again.”
14 Wing Commander Colonel Luc Vachon agreed, “it took a while for us to get where we are.
“And there are still things to be done as we acknowledge the past and look to the future. Be proud of recognizing what we do, too, in the military: support your co-workers, your friends, the community. Make them feel welcome – it makes a big difference.”
The theme for 2025 is “The Fabric of Freedom,” which invites people to reflect on unity, while serving as a global call to action to 2SLGBTQI+ people and their allies to celebrate the vibrancy of community.
