On a rainy, snowy Sunday afternoon, a committee of Nelson Pride volunteers gathered to hand out information to raise awareness of government policies that impact 2SLGBTQA+ people, ahead of the federal election on April 28th. Vote Rainbow Equality is a nation-wide campaign being run by Queer Momentum. They organized 33 events across the country in support of the 2SLGBTQA+ community.
Issues such as housing, affordability, and access to healthcare remain key concerns for 2SLGBTQA+ people, as they often face barriers in their everyday lives that impact their ability to find jobs, housing and earn a living.
With the upcoming federal election, Aaron shared “Nelson Pride is non-partisan, but we ask folks to look into the platforms of each local candidate as well as the track record of both potential PM’s, and consider if the party they are voting for values and protects human rights, and considers 2SLGBTQA+ issues.”
We want to encourage people to take a step back from online rhetoric and hysteria and connect with community organizations that work to support diverse communities based on evidence. Perhaps even look south of the border to better understand some of the political strategies being employed.”
Some members of the 2SLGBTQA+ community are concerned about a USA executive order to suspend passport applications that use a gender-neutral marker or request a change in gender as well as another which bans federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 19. They are also concerned about rising levels of hate crimes and discrimination, due to false information being spread about the community.
Michael shares, “bans and executive orders such as these show just how easy it can be to lose hard-fought gains for the 2SLGBTQA+ folks, and makes it all the more important to ensure we are electing representatives who will protect these rights.”
The group plans to interview the federal candidates running for election to find out how they plan to advocate for the 2SLGBTQA+ community if they are successful in their bid for office. For more information contact info@nelsonpride.ca
Nelson Pride