CENTRE WELLINGTON – Jey Plourde says the queer community in Centre Wellington often has to go to find spaces that celebrate or are geared towards them.
They don’t think this community should have to go all the way to Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge or Guelph for a queer space, that’s why Plourde is working alongside county councillor Diane Ballantyne to create the first Centre Wellington Pride committee.
“It would just be nice to have something more local, something more accessible, every time you have to go farther it becomes not necessarily accessible,” Plourde said.
Plourde, who describes themself as a queer and non-binary person, has lived in Fergus for seven years and feels there’s a need for the queer community in the area to find each other and build friendships.
“I think sometimes if you’re part of a dominant group, you don’t necessarily understand the need for an affinity group but there are views and perspectives that are so deeply ingrained in our society that if you kind of only notice it if you’re not part of it,” Plourde said.
“Being forced into a very cis-heteronormative society can be tiring. It’s really nice to kind of have a break and find other people who maybe don’t make the same assumptions about gender and sexuality and divisions along these lines.”
Plourde doesn’t necessarily feel unaccepted or excluded as a queer person in Centre Wellington but felt it would be nice for there to be a place where queer people are celebrated for being who they are rather than tolerated.
A big aspect of that will be any events the future committee organizes, such as a family-friendly Pride celebration like the ones that have taken place in other nearby municipalities like Erin and Minto.
“I got to take part in some with my band last year and it can be really nice, they’re just really nice events,” Plourde said. “It’s particularly nice I think when you have a little family, for me when my kids can come and see other families who have queer parents. Sometimes I think the kids feel like they just want something that’s quote unquote normal or the same as everybody else. It’s helpful for the kids to see that as well.”
In the early stages of this committee, they will be looking to see what the community wants and is interested in with a focus on getting to know each other.
The first Centre Wellington Pride committee meeting will be held at the Sparrow’s Nest in the Elora Centre for the Arts on Nov. 5 starting at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome but Plourde encouraged members of the LGBTQ+ community to come out.
Those attending are asked to bring a donation of $2 to go towards the cost of refreshments.
