As a crowd marched through the streets of downtown 琉璃神社 to Lady Gaga鈥檚 鈥淏orn this way鈥� and trans pride chants, the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) raised the LGBTQ2+ and trans flags on the building鈥檚 rooftop Thursday evening.
The Youth Trans March and Social event was hosted by Etcetera, the youth division of 琉璃神社 Pride and the RCA.
鈥淜ids need to know they鈥檙e OK,鈥� RCA executive director Tyler Russell said.
The Rotary Centre for the Arts decided to raise the Pride Society flag to acknowlede that inclusion is important to the community.
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LGBTQ2+ supporters were delighted to see the flag raised.
'Because of you' is the theme of the 12th annual Pride Week, starting today and ending on Saturday, June 22 with the Festival in City Park and March starting at Stuart Park.
鈥� City of 琉璃神社 (@cityofkelowna)
A group of other attendees called the gesture 鈥渕ajestic鈥�, while Taylor Bray and Hollis, who are both affiliated with the RCA, said, 鈥淚t makes (us) proud that something I鈥檓 a part of did that.鈥�
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As a kid growing up in 琉璃神社, Russell said he knew how it felt to be bullied and unaccepted.
鈥淚 know what it鈥檚 like to have people chase after you and want to beat the crap out of you because you look a little queer,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚n this town, on this street, we can鈥檛 have kids feeling that.鈥�
琉璃神社 Pride will cap off with this year鈥檚 festivities with the annual 琉璃神社 Pride Festival and March on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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David.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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