Kuujjuaq Pride comes out into sunshine

On a cloudy day with small pockets of sunshine, Kuujjuaq’s LGBTQ2S+ community and friends came out to celebrate the fifth annual Kuujjuaq Pride parade on Saturday.

Just over 50 organizers and attendees started to gather at the Kuujjuaq Forum at around 1 p.m. Rain throughout the day had threatened to turn the event into a soggy one, but the skies cleared just enough as everyone got ready to go.

A slow procession made its way toward the town hall, belting out music and cheering as honking cars passed. Later in the day, celebrants held what they called a sober party.

Organizer Niivi Snowball described finding the courage to come out at the first Kuujjuaq Pride, five years ago. Snowball was 12 at the time.

“That was the first time I ever saw something like that, like be actually celebrated, especially by people in this town because that’s like a subject that was never, ever talked about,” Snowball said.

“It was very taboo especially now because how religious people became after colonization.”

Paradegoer Mariam Imak was in the community for a visit during a canoe trip. She echoed Snowball’s sentiment.

“It’s important to be able to express ourselves to the full extent and to show love and support to ourselves and each other,” Imak said.

Gina Jean said her daughter, Nilak Jean-Gordon, knew she was queer when she was eight years old. The pair have been coming to Kuujjuaq Pride for the past two years. Jean-Gordon is now 10.

No one chooses to be gay, they just are, Jean said.

“Love is love,” she said.

“I believe in freedom and liberty. Be who you are. A lot of kids do suffer … because they can’t be who they are; they can’t love who they love. So that’s why [Pride] is important.”

Attendee Patricia Deveaux said she thinks it’s “really amazing” that Kuujjuaq offers Pride events. Fellow community member Destiny Watkin said she feels the same. She’s been bringing her now three-year-old son Jasper John Watkin-Nassak to the event since he was a baby.

“It is very nice to support each other regardless of if we have different views on life, and especially for the children too, so they understand all the different rights that people have,” said Watkin.

“It’s OK to be whoever you are and wear any colours you want,” she added, smiling at her young son.

During a speech to kick off the parade, organizer Tommy Sequaluk noted negative comments had appeared under a now-deleted social media post criticizing the event.

There has been a lot of hate from people in the community, he said, “but we are still here representing and I’m proud that you guys are supporting us.”

“We are going to keep doing this every year. So peace, haters, and we love you and thank you.”