No. We have had 20 years of working closely with the police and building bridges. This will tear that down. We should be celebrating and building on what we have accomplished, not going backward to placate. To say that the police should not be in the parade in uniform, whilst being surrounded by police in uniform, is just silly. It is this kind of thing that has had me not participate in Pride as it has become less inclusive and more a place for division and separation, which undoubtedly satisfies someone's agenda.
Sar - 6 years ago
Dumb of the Vancouver Sun to promote this divisive poll. Where is the context? Where is your feature on the harm experienced by BLM and LGBTQ communities and giving them a voice to explain why police shouldn't be at pride? Talk about garbage journalism. I guess you can't expect ethics from this newspaper.
Also, to those butthurt about this - GUESS WHAT GUYS- PRIDE IS NOT FOR CIS, STRAIGHT WHITE PEOPLE. SORRY THAT IT USED TO BE A FUN PARTY FOR YOU.
v - 6 years ago
this framing of this poll is SHITE and rooted in anti-blackness. what a distasteful poll. especially considering the readership of VS the results of this poll are so one-sided... which is actually telling of the kinds of people who read this attempt at 'journalism' aka mainstream media.
police and oppressive, colonial institutions in general do not belong in Pride. if the community and those most marginalized within the LBGTQ2S+ spectrum, particularly those who are Black and Indigenous, who are disabled, who are poor, who are trans and gender nonconforming, who are women, who are youth, who are neurodivergent, - if those who find themselves at these intersections are not CENTERED and their needs and safety are not prioritized then Pride is pointless. and anyone who argues against it doesnt actually get it / has enough privilege in their lives to not be affected by why the decision VPS made is important and VITAL in moving forward in a good way.
stop throwing the most marginalized under the bus! exclusionary, colonial politics is the thing of the past.
a definition that may help here:
homonormativity: A view that homosexuality (and by extension any alternative sexualities and/or genders) is preferable to heterosexuality. Gay and lesbian capitalists begin to enjoy their hard-won equality (i.e. “gay marriage”, adoptions, healthcare access, workplace and legal protections) within colonial, capitalist, and imperialist structures where ableism, classism, sexism, racism and many other forms of oppression intersect.
Ken - 6 years ago
I support Pride's decision. Yes, as a gay white man, I have benefitted from legal and social gains over the last thirty years. I have much to celebrate at Pride, and for me, it's not the protest it once was. I can happily endorse police PR activities such as a Pride float. But I recognize these gains aren't uniform (pun intended) throughout our community. Trans people and people of colour still are on the trailing edge. I want to make room to centre their voices in this discussion, and when I do, I understand there is still much to be done. I do want to build bridges with the police, but I feel uncomfortable with the pressure they are adding to the discussion by putting out official "disappointment" statements. They are a service, not a community, and certainly not a marginalized one. Our LGBTQ2 coalition enjoys unequal levels of privilege. I do not wish for our police service using this fact to drive a wedge between us.
Ball - 6 years ago
BLM.
Soros Cancer.
Shane - 6 years ago
The VPD should completely boycott the parade. The decision to not let the police wear uniforms at a parade is completely political and has nothing to do with past incidents. Don’t let the vocal minority ruin a great event.
Mike - 6 years ago
It is OK with me if Pride takes a break from celebrating past victories, and crafts some uncomfortable, confrontational moments in order to push towards new victories.
Jingle bells - 6 years ago
Everyone's invited to the Christmas party, no exceptions! ????????????????
Rod - 6 years ago
I'm going to join one of these dilusional fringe me, me, me groups now, I am going to sue the government for a 3 million dollar payout because my old man spanked my sorry ass 64 yr's ago and it seems now that I am traumatized and never had a "Safe Space" Please feel free to join my group, M.A.M. or "My Ass Matters" !!!
Nigel Plumley - 6 years ago
At 68 I have witnessed the growth and acceptance of LGBTQ over the decades,I marched back in Toronto against the police bath raises, but I am at a loss to comprehend the path being taken to exclude them from the parade.It is only ignorance and a total lack of understanding of reality that beings us to this point,and the dangerous situation that allows a misguided view to hijack a policy. I am all for acceptance of different people wherever they come from. I have been in Canada 42 years and consider myself fortunate to be here, one of the most accepting and beautiful countries in the world. One cannot compare the descrimination occuring south of the border to what is happening here, not to say one cannot lend support.But discriminating against our police is not the way to go.Times have changed and in Canada the police support the gay community, and yet some are unwittingly turning the clock back.
Dan - 6 years ago
Do not stay hooked on the past. Present day police are more accepting of lgbtq people's. It's like blaming the son for the father's mistakes. Get over the past transgressions and look forward to the future. The longer you hold hate and fear and anger in your heart, the longer your suffering will last. Some people get by playing the victim every day of their lives...ask yourself. Is that how you want to make yourself feel everyday???
Matt - 6 years ago
Pride is about inclusiveness! I understand in past times that SOME police were against LGBTQ,but in today’s society,there are some law enforcement that members of the LGBTQ society,and more importantly,it is law enforcement that stands up for you and and enforces the laws that protect you and your rights,so by all means let them march in uniforms or without
Cia - 6 years ago
This isn't even about supporting BLM, at least not to me. The police in Canada has a history of discriminating against the LGBTQI2A community, and participating in uniform only serves as a reminder to many of the community that even the Pride Parade isn't a place where they can feel entirely safe. Banning uniforms, police cars, and weapons is an incredible step forward to making amends for the violence committed against the LGBTQI2A community.
jimb - 6 years ago
Syllogism: you're an idiot. The parade STARTED this divisiveness by EXCLUDING uniformed officers. Use your head.
Syllogism - 6 years ago
The poll question resembles that of a false premise _ or simply it's answer cannot find truth. The answer will promote divisiveness, which is not the parades purpose.
Start again .
edmond O'Brien - 6 years ago
All lives matter, not just group BLM! the VPD has been a fantastic supporter of the vancouver gay & lesbian communities for decades, they should not be excluded from our annual pride parade!
Paddy - 6 years ago
BLM has too much say. Why are they attending the event under the BLM banner? This event is meant for the local community not the politics of BLM. Having the police as part of the parade shows solidarity and makes rights the wrongs from years ago. Enough of people bringing up the wrongs of the 60's and 70's, time to move into 2020 and move society along. As a father of a 14 year old who came out this year, I am upset at what BLM has done here. I do not want my child to be worried about the police and this is the wrong message being sent.
Cindy - 6 years ago
It seems like select groups are trying to bully the police. If the police can’t stand up for their duty to be a strong authoritative presence in uniform, what good are they? If Police give in to every equal rights group, then they lose their power. It’s not the uniform that is the issue, it’s how they use that authoritative power to control the groups....
I still don’t understand why there even is a pride parade! Maybe we need a Christian Parade to celebrate all the multicultural christians in our world; or a clown parade; or.....where are the boundaries? When does it stop?
Kevin - 6 years ago
As a lion dancer in the Chinese New year's parade for the past 25 years, the VPD has and always are welcomed to march in full uniform with me.
No. We have had 20 years of working closely with the police and building bridges. This will tear that down. We should be celebrating and building on what we have accomplished, not going backward to placate. To say that the police should not be in the parade in uniform, whilst being surrounded by police in uniform, is just silly. It is this kind of thing that has had me not participate in Pride as it has become less inclusive and more a place for division and separation, which undoubtedly satisfies someone's agenda.
Dumb of the Vancouver Sun to promote this divisive poll. Where is the context? Where is your feature on the harm experienced by BLM and LGBTQ communities and giving them a voice to explain why police shouldn't be at pride? Talk about garbage journalism. I guess you can't expect ethics from this newspaper.
Also, to those butthurt about this - GUESS WHAT GUYS- PRIDE IS NOT FOR CIS, STRAIGHT WHITE PEOPLE. SORRY THAT IT USED TO BE A FUN PARTY FOR YOU.
this framing of this poll is SHITE and rooted in anti-blackness. what a distasteful poll. especially considering the readership of VS the results of this poll are so one-sided... which is actually telling of the kinds of people who read this attempt at 'journalism' aka mainstream media.
police and oppressive, colonial institutions in general do not belong in Pride. if the community and those most marginalized within the LBGTQ2S+ spectrum, particularly those who are Black and Indigenous, who are disabled, who are poor, who are trans and gender nonconforming, who are women, who are youth, who are neurodivergent, - if those who find themselves at these intersections are not CENTERED and their needs and safety are not prioritized then Pride is pointless. and anyone who argues against it doesnt actually get it / has enough privilege in their lives to not be affected by why the decision VPS made is important and VITAL in moving forward in a good way.
stop throwing the most marginalized under the bus! exclusionary, colonial politics is the thing of the past.
a definition that may help here:
homonormativity: A view that homosexuality (and by extension any alternative sexualities and/or genders) is preferable to heterosexuality. Gay and lesbian capitalists begin to enjoy their hard-won equality (i.e. “gay marriage”, adoptions, healthcare access, workplace and legal protections) within colonial, capitalist, and imperialist structures where ableism, classism, sexism, racism and many other forms of oppression intersect.
I support Pride's decision. Yes, as a gay white man, I have benefitted from legal and social gains over the last thirty years. I have much to celebrate at Pride, and for me, it's not the protest it once was. I can happily endorse police PR activities such as a Pride float. But I recognize these gains aren't uniform (pun intended) throughout our community. Trans people and people of colour still are on the trailing edge. I want to make room to centre their voices in this discussion, and when I do, I understand there is still much to be done. I do want to build bridges with the police, but I feel uncomfortable with the pressure they are adding to the discussion by putting out official "disappointment" statements. They are a service, not a community, and certainly not a marginalized one. Our LGBTQ2 coalition enjoys unequal levels of privilege. I do not wish for our police service using this fact to drive a wedge between us.
BLM.
Soros Cancer.
The VPD should completely boycott the parade. The decision to not let the police wear uniforms at a parade is completely political and has nothing to do with past incidents. Don’t let the vocal minority ruin a great event.
It is OK with me if Pride takes a break from celebrating past victories, and crafts some uncomfortable, confrontational moments in order to push towards new victories.
Everyone's invited to the Christmas party, no exceptions! ????????????????
I'm going to join one of these dilusional fringe me, me, me groups now, I am going to sue the government for a 3 million dollar payout because my old man spanked my sorry ass 64 yr's ago and it seems now that I am traumatized and never had a "Safe Space" Please feel free to join my group, M.A.M. or "My Ass Matters" !!!
At 68 I have witnessed the growth and acceptance of LGBTQ over the decades,I marched back in Toronto against the police bath raises, but I am at a loss to comprehend the path being taken to exclude them from the parade.It is only ignorance and a total lack of understanding of reality that beings us to this point,and the dangerous situation that allows a misguided view to hijack a policy. I am all for acceptance of different people wherever they come from. I have been in Canada 42 years and consider myself fortunate to be here, one of the most accepting and beautiful countries in the world. One cannot compare the descrimination occuring south of the border to what is happening here, not to say one cannot lend support.But discriminating against our police is not the way to go.Times have changed and in Canada the police support the gay community, and yet some are unwittingly turning the clock back.
Do not stay hooked on the past. Present day police are more accepting of lgbtq people's. It's like blaming the son for the father's mistakes. Get over the past transgressions and look forward to the future. The longer you hold hate and fear and anger in your heart, the longer your suffering will last. Some people get by playing the victim every day of their lives...ask yourself. Is that how you want to make yourself feel everyday???
Pride is about inclusiveness! I understand in past times that SOME police were against LGBTQ,but in today’s society,there are some law enforcement that members of the LGBTQ society,and more importantly,it is law enforcement that stands up for you and and enforces the laws that protect you and your rights,so by all means let them march in uniforms or without
This isn't even about supporting BLM, at least not to me. The police in Canada has a history of discriminating against the LGBTQI2A community, and participating in uniform only serves as a reminder to many of the community that even the Pride Parade isn't a place where they can feel entirely safe. Banning uniforms, police cars, and weapons is an incredible step forward to making amends for the violence committed against the LGBTQI2A community.
Syllogism: you're an idiot. The parade STARTED this divisiveness by EXCLUDING uniformed officers. Use your head.
The poll question resembles that of a false premise _ or simply it's answer cannot find truth. The answer will promote divisiveness, which is not the parades purpose.
Start again .
All lives matter, not just group BLM! the VPD has been a fantastic supporter of the vancouver gay & lesbian communities for decades, they should not be excluded from our annual pride parade!
BLM has too much say. Why are they attending the event under the BLM banner? This event is meant for the local community not the politics of BLM. Having the police as part of the parade shows solidarity and makes rights the wrongs from years ago. Enough of people bringing up the wrongs of the 60's and 70's, time to move into 2020 and move society along. As a father of a 14 year old who came out this year, I am upset at what BLM has done here. I do not want my child to be worried about the police and this is the wrong message being sent.
It seems like select groups are trying to bully the police. If the police can’t stand up for their duty to be a strong authoritative presence in uniform, what good are they? If Police give in to every equal rights group, then they lose their power. It’s not the uniform that is the issue, it’s how they use that authoritative power to control the groups....
I still don’t understand why there even is a pride parade! Maybe we need a Christian Parade to celebrate all the multicultural christians in our world; or a clown parade; or.....where are the boundaries? When does it stop?
As a lion dancer in the Chinese New year's parade for the past 25 years, the VPD has and always are welcomed to march in full uniform with me.