Calgary’s first Dyke and Trans March moves through Mission

Calgary’s inaugural Dyke and Trans March took to the streets of Mission Saturday afternoon, with hundreds walking with the goal of sparking a movement towards a more inclusive space for marginalized people within the community.

For the last four years it’s been just the Dyke March, and the marketing and communications coordinator for the event, Gio Dolcecore, said why the Trans community asked to join up with them this year.

“We recognize that the Trans community is part of the diversity of the LGBT community that gets the least amount of representation,” she said. “Pride is about bringing people together and celebrating who we are, unfortunately within the queer community there is a large overrepresentation of able bodied white males.”

“Not to say that this is bad or that something needs to be fixed, it’s just saying that the other minorities, the other diverse identities who are not getting that representation need that representation.”

She said the march is a social demonstration, whereas pride is more about celebration.

Jeffrey Connel was wearing his best pink suit complete with pink cowboy hat and said it’s important to be with people who can relate to the same issues he had growing up.

“I think it’s very important to not feel alone and not feel like there’s hopelessness and that you’re the only one,” he said. “I think we’re stronger as a community when we come together.”

He added Calgary has a very strong Trans and Dyke community and it shows at events like this.

Natalie Marched was with her two-year-old son.

“I think it’s important to raise them from a young age to be exposed to the diversity of gender and sexual orientation so that they grow up tolerant and loving and accepting,” she explained, adding society as a whole needs to do a better job of doing that.

Brett Mason is social worker with Calgary Outlink and said it’s key to realize Trans people still don’t have the rights other Canadians do.

“People can’t be fired for their skin colour, they can’t be fired because of their religion, they can’t be evicted, they have rights to protect them,” he explained. “We do have those rights when it comes to sexual orientation, but we don’t have those rights yet regarding gender identity.”

There is a bill in Ottawa right now working to give Trans people those rights.