Kahnawà:ke marks day against homophobia, transphobia with community gathering
Kahnawà:ke marked International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia by bringing its community together for an afternoon of music, food and celebration of gender and sexual diversity.
The Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community, south of Montreal, has organized the gathering on May 17 for the last seven years.
"I'm very happy to be here today," said Tiohawíhton Peterson.
Peterson was draped in a blue and pink striped flag, which represents gender fluidity.
"They're supposed to represent the presence of femininity and masculinity. A perfect meld of the two," they said about the stripes. "Because being gender fluid is a spectrum. It's finding that perfect balance in your day."
The gathering is organized annually by Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services to raise awareness of 2SLGBTQ+ issues. (Ka’nhehsí:io Deer/CBC)
The gathering is organized by Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services as a way to raise awareness of 2SLGBTQ+ issues.
"Instead of kind of doing something where it's against violence, we try to promote it and turn it into a celebration of gender and sexual diversity," said Rebecca D'Amico, manager of prevention services.
"Really just kind of bringing people together."
It's also a part of the organization's violence prevention work. The 2SLGBTQ+ population is nearly two times more likely to experience violence in their lifetime and face higher rates of suicide and mental health issues, according the 2022 federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan.
Representatives from 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in and around Montreal were on site providing information, resources and fun activities.
Rebecca D’Amico is the manager of prevention services at Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services. (Ka’nhehsí:io Deer/CBC)
"These kinds of events are meant to be primary prevention, giving people the platforms and the information they need to make healthy decisions and to know where to go if they need extra information or support resources," said D'Amico.
"We know that there are still some stigmas that need to be broken."
Kahnawà:ke held its first Pride parade last year. Jessica Beauvais was at the gathering to promote this year's parade, which will be held on June 22.
They said events like the gathering today — and parade — help raise awareness and create dialogue and space for 2SLBGTQ+ and Indigiqueer people in Kahnawà:ke.
Jessica Beauvais is a Concordia University student and community organizer in Kahnawà:ke. (Ka’nhehsí:io Deer/CBC)
"Specifically for our community, we have been deeply impacted by different forms of trauma.… And a lot of those have brought a lot of shame on us," said Beauvais, who is a Concordia University student and community organizer.
"I feel like it's something that is needed to show LGBT pride and happiness and joy, and spread it amongst community members and not just within the LGBT community," they said.
"It's very important that we have something like this, right in the centre of the community."
