Calgary Pride 2022 kicks off with live performances this weekend

Calgary Pride has kicked off in Calgary and participants are celebrating gender and sexual diversity.

Happy Pride Week! ????️‍????????️‍

Wishing the best and brightest to Mohkinstsis / Calgary's 2SLGBTQ+ Community!

Sending everyone love and wishing all of you a happy pride!#WeAreCalgaryPride #2SLGBTQ #YYCEvents pic.twitter.com/uCpbTf3eyX

— Calgary Pride (@CalgaryPride) August 26, 2022

Loving and supporting one’s true self is how one Calgary family supported each other.

13-year-old Rayne Fireman found love and support when they came out to their dad.

“I came out like a year ago to my dad that I was non-binary because I felt like I was in the middle of genders,” said Rayne Fireman, Pride participant.

“I’m proud of my child. I’m proud to be here and happy to support the community,” said Derek Fireman, supportive dad.

The Fireman’s are attending Pride celebrations in Calgary for the first time.

“It feels really great cause I feel like there’s no negative energy here. I don’t like have to have a wall in front of me. I just like break the wall,” said [Rayne] Fireman.

Calgary Pride week kicked off this past Saturday.

Activities are planned to celebrate the diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

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The kick-off event in Central Memorial park highlights the importance of the park in Calgary pride’s history.

“So, the very first Pride parade that happened or Pride walk, not a parade, originated here or they all collected here after they walked the town,” said Sumit Munjal the manager of production and programming for Calgary Pride.

“So the importance is that this has always been a cumulation point for queer people,” said Munjal.

Lois Szabo, a Pride participant has been taking part in Calgary Pride since it began, and at 86 years old Szabo will be walking in this year’s parade.

“Hatred and homophobia is based on ignorance. So finally people are beginning to smarten up and it’s none too soon. And I think it’s really beneficial for the young people today to have our history behind them [and] not have to do the struggles that the older generations did,” said Szabo.