Nate Knows … Why the Toronto Pride flag raising ceremony is important. I didn’t realize how important it was until I arrived at Nathan Phillips Square on Monday, June  28 and watched Councillor Kyle Rae deliver a very moving speech about how far our city has come in terms of equal rights for the LGBT community. The ceremony wasn’t just about gays raising a flag, it was about showing our respect for the community members who had fought so hard for a flag raising ceremony to even exist in the first place, let alone an entire parade! Toronto is far ahead of the rest of the world in terms of LGBT equality and that is something to be proud of. I was so inspired by the ceremony that I will be raising my own freak flag high this week! Happy Pride, everyone!

It’s funny. You think at a time in Toronto where there is an abundance of parties and events a “gala” would be last thing on people’s minds. However that was not the case tonight at The Carlu. So stepping into the gilded marble foyar, pressing the button for the seventh floor, and sharing the elevator ride I didn’t know what to expect. Now I’ve been to many galas before so I’m a pretty jaded gala goer. Though I was not disappointed. Greeting you as you stepped off the elevator was plush red carpet bordered by a velvet rope. As you made your way down the red carpet you never knew who would surprise you.

Once you strolled down the red carpet you were greated by two big video screens of Toronto Pride 2009. There you ran the chance of reliving the bad outfits that you wore. Or seeing the guy who were cruising while strolling with a gaggle of your friends. Once behind the Toronto Pride pull-ups and behind the white curtain, it was mixed bag of guests. There among the many sponsors, Board members, and special guests were the 2010 award winners: Robert Sirman (Arts and Culture), Neill Kernohan (Human Rights), Kyle Rae (Lifetime Achievement), PRIDE House (Sports).  Circulating around the press and cameras were various politicians who support the Pride Toronto.

The Dangerous "Two Rae's" Bob (Left) Kyle (Right)

As the evening went on attendees sipped on cocktails and shared stories of why Toronto Pride is important to the city. Approaching Kyle Rae I congratulated him on his work with the community. Rae thanked me and said, “it was a joy and challenge to see Pride go on some years but the show must go on.” The one guest who everyone was waiting for was Ashley MacIsaac, the renegade fiddler and musician who has turned the art of making music on his ear.  Along with crafted sounds where the words of Kink My Hair – Writer and Director Trey Anthony who had the crowd captivated with her presentation.

This year’s gala was billed as having “top-drawer” entertainment and did not let people down. Though the only question I have is at $350.00 per individual ticket, Pride is suppose to be accessible to everyone. Yes this is a fundraiser and an event during Pride but here’s food for thought. Is Pride sending an exclusion message by having such a steep price for gala ticket and not making it cost-effective so more people of diverse backgrounds can attend? Could there be different way to show our Pride without the pomp and circumstance? For remember 30 years ago, the word “gala” would have never been associated with Pride. I wonder if those who gave their lives at Stonewall and the bath house raids knew their hard work would amount to a group of people standing around more worried about the location of nearest canape rather than activism behind gay rights. Now that we are mainstream and have our basic gay rights, in Canada, what do we fight for now with our Champagne Socialist complacentcy?

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Lifetime Acheivment award winner, Kyle Rae.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Pride Toronto Awards 2010 winners!

Arts and Culture
Robert Sirman

In recognition of his leadership on the award-winning redevelopment of the National Ballet School and the Radio City condo towers, home to hundreds (if not thousands) of LGBT community members, the City of Toronto named Sirman Lane in his honour.

Community Service
Michelle Walker

Michelle Walker is both a virtual- and real-world activist. Founder of the Vancouver Dyke March, she is also creator of superdyke.com, a 20,000-member strong social networking site. Michelle, who operates and maintains the website as a labour of love, has provided refuge and community for many rural and Trans Canadians who often feel isolated and alienated.

Human Rights
Neill Kernohan

Neill Kernohan, an Ontario civil servant, is the driving force behind the creation of the Ontario Public Service Pride Network’s “Positive Space” Campaign. A unique public sector initiative in Canada, the Campaign provides a supportive space for Ontario government employees of all sexual orientations and gender identities and fosters a more inclusive public service environment. Neill’s commitment of personal time and energy to the initiative has contributed to a new awareness of LGBT issues at every level of the provincial government.

Lifetime Achievement
Kyle Rae

Kyle, the first openly gay City of Toronto councillor, has been a tireless advocate of queer rights for almost 30 years. For Torontonians, his name is synonymous with the struggle for LGBT rights that began with Toronto’s first lesbian and gay pride celebration in 1981 and has included the fight to amend the Ontario Human Rights Code to include sexual orientation. Kyle has also campaigned for the provision of employer-sponsored same-sex partner benefits.

Sports
PRIDE House

If there were an Olympic category for queer awareness, PRIDE House would take home the gold. PRIDE House, a pavilion at the 2010 Whistler Olympic and Paralympics Games, provided a venue for LGBT athletes, the community and allies to celebrate diversity through sport. The initiative provided LGBT athletes the opportunity to expose the hidden homophobia that characterizes the sports world and the issues that would otherwise remain invisible – and unacknowledged.

Youth Leadership
The Unity Conference

For some years now, The Unity Conference has united and supported youth and educators across Ontario in creating gay-straight alliances in their schools. The success of the organization demonstrates the need for school-based queer-friendly organizations that provide safe, positive spaces to explore the diversity of queer and Trans experiences.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

The awards will be presented at the 6th Annual Gala & Awards ceremony, to be held on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at The Carlu, located at 444 Yonge St.

Attending the Toronto Pride Gala & Award show is rubbing shoulders with Ontario’s elite.  The Premier Dalton McGuinty and Toronto City councilman Kyle Rae both took to the stage to hand out awards.  Of course, when you hold your event at the Carlu, what else do you expect but the best.

TV anchors Andria Case and Omar Sachedina hosted the event… and I was in gala heaven.  I admit it ok… I’m a gala guy!  I liked getting dressed up, sitting down to a great meal and having endless booze poured into my glass.

 The night progressed, the awards given out and there were some really touching moments.  One of the highlights was a slide show that began with pictures of gay and lesbians marching through the streets of Toronto as early as 1975.  The slideshow went on to showcase how Pride has spread throughout the world and we saw stills from Pride’s in countries with names I can’t even pronounce!  I was awestruck!   Follow that with a passionate speech from Owen Levy who was present during the Stonewall riots and you’ve got an emotional night!

One of the hands down greatest moments of the night for me came when Pride Toronto’s International Grand Marshall, Victor Moukasa took to the podium.  As a transgendered man, Victor spoke of how moved he was by the slide show and how he didn’t believe he would see a change for the better in Africa in his own lifetime.  He said, listening to Owen Levy and his struggles with Stonewall and now seeing the freedoms that have come since, has given him hope that true change will come to his home country of Uganda and indeed to all of Africa.  I cried a little.

I don’t know who ended up having the highest bid on the silent auction item of the signed Madonna guitar (like she really knows how to play worth a shit), but it was definitely one of the coveted items of the evening.

A night I won’t soon forget!