Some P.E.I. LGBTs see 'amazing transformation' in acceptance
This week is Pride Week in P.E.I., a celebration of the LGBT community, and many say the Island has come a long way from the first Pride event 20 years ago.
Tyler Murnaghan, chairman of the non-profit group Pride PEI, which is organizing this year's events, says people are more accepting now than in 1995. They are also more keen to celebrate diversity, he says.
"An amazing transformation, I know even growing up — I'm only 21, which means I was in high school only four years ago — and I know I was the only out kid back then," he said.
The main event of the week will be the Pride Parade on Saturday.
"It's going to be a new parade this year, new events, we're actually looking at 40 floats this year, I believe. It will be one of the largest parades we've had so far," said Murnaghan.
The parade marshal is P.E.I.'s first openly gay leader Premier Wade MacLauchlan.
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey decided to put his annual community social on the Pride Week agenda this year. And while he did hear a few complaints, there was much more praise for the move.
"This is a good thing for us to be celebrating," said Casey. "The whole idea is to be more inclusive and I think doing it in conjunction with pride week will achieve that objective."
Dave Morrow and Dave Stewart, who celebrated their third wedding anniversary Tuesday, also see a difference in how the LGBT community is perceived.
"I see it in the community for sure, there's a big change," said Morrow. "People are not laughing at the gay couple as they go down the street."
Both men say there are more role models now and they expect things will continue to improve.
"More and more people are out now, so the public in general is aware of gay people as people in their community and they're not so much of an unknown thing," said Stewart.
