Happy Pride 2013

It's funny how we can take things for granted. In Canada, we are afforded the luxuries of free health care, safe drinking water, the right to vote, among many other luxuries. In other countries around the world, the same cannot be said.

One of the easiest ways to look at it is,

In Canada, we have had the right to vote since 1920 and the 2011 voter turnout rate was just 61.1%, although up from 2008, this is a mere showing from the 75% we saw decades earlier. In other countries, they are not even given the chance to vote. Do you think if they were given that chance they would show up with just 60% of the eligible voters. We take our right for granted...

Yesterday, some family members and I went to Toronto to celebrate the 2013 Gay Pride Parade; we were there supporting a family member who was attending his first gay pride parade as an openly gay man. I realized while I was there, that I take for granted that I can marry the person I love, hold their hand in the street, and do all of this without ridicule or judgement. That is what is amazing about Pride week, it increases the awareness of the LGBT community.

The Pride parade was a one of a kind experience. It was such a happy environment, you could just feel the love and support everyone was there to give. So from me to you, Happy Pride Everyone! I hope you can join me next year as Toronto gets the honour of hosting World Pride 2014.