It’s been over 50 years since the beginning of the Pride movement in New York City, and over time the way we celebrate Pride around the world has evolved.
While Pride is, and always has been, a protest against the stigma and violence faced by 2SLGBTQ+ communities around the world, what first started as a riot has grown to a month full of celebrations and protests in many places around the world.
Toronto is renowned for its annual lineup of Pride events, but are young people in Toronto partying the month away, or honouring the rich history of our queer ancestors? Queer & Now spoke with a handful of popular 2SLGBTQ+ Toronto-based content creators to learn what Pride means to them, and how they are celebrating 365 days a year.
WHAT DOES PRIDE MEAN TO YOUNG QUEER PEOPLE?
Toronto-based content creators and sisters, Am and Noey Zletni, say Pride means something different for everyone.
“We grew up and went to a Catholic High School. Our mom is Indian and Catholic, and our dad is Arab and Muslim. And so growing up navigating those two religious cultures backgrounds was interesting, but then also adding the queer component, we definitely felt not comfortable being who we truly are,” Noey explained, adding the pair spent the majority of their childhoods hiding their queer identities.
The Zletnis first celebrated Pride during the 2014 World Pride celebrations in Toronto. Noey explained that the event gave them a safe place to celebrate their identities within the queer community.
“This is a place where, you know, something we were so shameful of is actually celebrated, [which is] so cool,” Am added, explaining that to her, Pride is celebrating everything that makes you unique.
“Like how you want to express yourself, what kind of clothes you want to wear, what your background is, the colour of your skin, and being proud of everything that is you, versus just putting a rainbow flag on and saying I’m part of the LGBTQ+.”
“Even just the word itself hits so close to home, because when we were younger, when we weren’t out, I didn’t feel proud of myself. I didn’t feel proud of the person I was. I was not living authentically,” Noey shared.
Dion Yorkie and Sebb Argo are Toronto-based influencers and newlyweds who have been working as content creators for the better part of ten years. Yorkie shared that it frustrates him when people question why we still need Pride.
“There’s so much work to be done in this world, and we have to be grateful for the rights that we have in many countries today, [and] for the [activists] who came before us,” Yorkie told Queer & Now.
“We have to keep moving that along, for the people who don’t have rights in other countries, and to protect our rights. So, for me Pride is about being vocal and stepping into our power as queer people and holding our heads high, because if we don’t, then who will?”
This is something his husband agrees with.
“Now, it’s more like people see it more as a parade and a party. But I feel like it still in a sense should be a protest,” Argo explained. “There are so many people all around the world that don’t have the rights we have [in Canada] right now. It’s like, we have to fight for these people.”
“My favourite part about Pride is when you’re walking down the street and chanting with everyone, Yorkie said. “Because it’s about speaking out for those people who don’t have a voice.”
USING THEIR PLATFORMS TO CELEBRATE PRIDE 365
Yorkie and Argo explained that their role as creators expands beyond entertainers. With their lifestyle content and music, they create much-needed representation online.
“Pride, to me, is everything, because it’s every single day,” Yorkie shared.
They also use their platforms as a way to speak out on behalf of people living in countries where members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community face persecution, something they’ve received pushback for.
“I get people in my DMs like, ‘Come to Dubai and see for yourself how you will be treated,’ Trying to shut me up. And it’s like, no I’m just trying to do my part here,” Yorkie said, adding that he has also received messages from queer people living in countries where they feel safe and thanking him for using his platform to speak out.
“You can’t forget where Pride comes from,” Argo added.
“Doing our part allows other people to feel like they can do theirs. I think the more queer people who are vocal online, the more queer people will feel like they can be proud of who they are in real life, and then like it does change the world slowly,” Yorkie said.
Noey Zletni echoed this.
“We got invited to TikTok Creator Pride last year and we were listed as one of 15 visionary voices by Tiktok for the LGBTQ+ community. And I think that moment really shifted everything,” Noey explained. “Being there for Pride at TikTok, and being recognized because of the voice that we are on the platform that we have, I just feel more of a responsibility to continue to be advocates.”
“It’s just a reminder that still not all of the world has access to this, to be themselves, to live authentically, and it’s just a reminder to keep doing what we’re doing,” she continued.
