Georgina Pride to host monthly events

By Michelle Poirier

Leah Sheridan, her daughter Danielle, and their friend Brandon Whaites are promoting acceptance for all as they host their monthly LGBTQ2+ events for their group Georgina Pride.

The most recent Georgina Pride event was Georgina Pride meets Muskoka Pride on August 20, where many of the Georgina Pride members went to Bracebridge to support and join in on Muskoka Pride’s socially distanced coffee social.

Sheridan said Georgina Pride has many more events in the works, along with monthly coffee socials of their own.

Georgina Pride started in 2020 with the Georgina Pride Ride, a parade of cars.

“Last year, because of COVID-19, they cancelled everybody’s pride events, and in my head, I thought there has to be something that we can do to be still seen, but still be safe,” Sheridan said.

She said last year’s Pride Ride had a turnout of about 12 cars, while this year, the support grew, and at one point in the ride, there were about 70 cars.

Sheridan believes this is an important group to have in Georgina.

“We don’t want anybody to go through what the generation before had to go through, where there was fear and bullying, and I’m just going to say it, suicide,” she said.

“People weren’t free to be themselves and thought that not being here at all was the best choice. I don’t want anyone ever to feel like you’re not accepted or you can’t come out. No one should ever feel like they cannot just be themselves.”

Sheridan said the idea for the group came about almost seven years ago after her daughter Danielle came out, but at first, they just joined other Pride groups and events.

“Danielle, Brandon and I knew we wanted to get more visibility in town so that she would have support and we could start trying to find other people in the community that might be able to help Danielle; that was the start of it all,” she said.

The Georgina Pride mission statement says they are there to bring awareness to their community, build a community that is inclusive and allows people to feel safe and welcome, provide support, and be a free place from all hatred and prejudice.

Danielle also recently started another Facebook group, Georgina Pride Gen Z, to provide a safe space for teenagers in town to share their experiences and build a supportive network.

Sheridan said they are planning to start selling Georgina Pride and other Pride merchandise in the future to raise money for their monthly coffee social, hold a vendor show, keep the Pride Ride going every year and hopefully be able to do a street festival.

The next Georgina Pride event will be a tour of Clearwater Farm on August 28 at 11:00 a.m., followed by a trip to either the beach or a park.

To follow the group and their upcoming events, you can join the Facebook group Georgina Pride or visit their website www.georginapride.com to sign up for their newsletter.