The Pride flag is flying high at Bradford’s courthouse as volunteer organization Fierté Simcoe Pride marks Pride season with flag raisings in communities across Simcoe County with an eye to create more programming locally.
“We want to bring more to the Bradford area, particularly since we see a large gap in programming,” says Caleb Kenehan, president of Fierté Simcoe Pride. “(Socials and get-togethers allow) folks to get together that maybe have not connected and where folks can just get a place where they’re safe to be themselves and express themselves.”
While there are monthly socials, which can be around crafts or coffee to chat, in Midland, Orillia and Barrie, Fierté Simcoe Pride would like to reintroduce them to Bradford, along with more family-friendly events with the goal of bringing people together. Kenehan acknowledges that earlier this year the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library added a Bradford West Gwillimbury gender-affirming closet, supported through several community organizations.
The 2SLGBTQIA community, nationally, is in a difficult position. While acceptance is on the rise, so are anti-gay phobias. And for Kenehan, that makes the work and the goals of Fierté Simcoe Pride even more important, with a focus this year on safety and solidarity.
“Not everybody feels safe within Simcoe County, but we can achieve safety as a community by standing in solidarity” to create a safe environment for expression, he says.
Citing national statistics, Kenehan says hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose from 265 in 2019 to 860 in 2023, and hate crimes based off gender and sex rose from 56 in 2019 to 123 in 2023.
By being loud and proud with a reach across Simcoe County’s anglophone and francophone communities, Kenehan hopes not just for wider acceptance but also to help make members of the community feel safe and included.
Currently, the focus is on spreading the word through flag raisings during “Pride season,” which runs through August. Through the rest of the year, the focus shifts to events like socials.
“I feel I am seeing a rise in folks being open and accepting. I feel that many folks are looking to find ways they can support the 2SLGBTQIA community,” he says, hoping to broaden the group’s reach. “I would encourage anyone wanting to make an impact that volunteerism within the community is a great way to start making change.”
Fierté Simcoe Pride wants to hear from members of the community in Bradford about the activities and events they would like to see.
An opportunity for involvement is coming this fall with Fierté Simcoe Pride’s upcoming annual general meeting, which includes elections for new board members. While the organization has seen interest from Bradford West Gwillimbury, there currently is no representation from the town on the board.
“Something that we would absolutely be interested in is seeing folks who are interested in working with us who are in the Bradford area to work with us to create more Bradford events and let us know specific things they are looking to see within their area, because what we want to do is ultimately offer the community what it needs” by getting more feedback from the area, Kenehan says.
Fierté Simcoe Pride is in the process of revisiting its strategic plan to include more year-round programming, allowing people to engage with others in the community. The board is also examining the possibility of more summer-based Pride events in Midland and south Simcoe.
“But we don’t want to take that on without more feedback from the Bradford community,” he says.
More information is available by emailing [email protected].
