The Ladysmith Pride Society is planning on kicking off its second year of being a part of the Ladysmith and area community by holding a 90s Baby dance on Saturday, April 5 at the Aggie Hall.
“Since our inaugural Pride Celebration last year we've had an incredible amount of support and opportunities for inclusion,” said Kezia Cloke, chair of the Ladysmith pride Society.
The dance begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 for Eagles club members and $25 for non-members.
"The dance is totally open to the public and we will be having a cash bar and fun events like 50/50 draw,” Cloke said. “The funds from the evening, the society we'll be using to help cover the costs and make the group's June 1 Pride Celebration bigger and better. The dance will also be aiding the Ladysmith Secondary School’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and all the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will be turned over to them.”
According to reviews the district’s website suggests the GSA club provides a positive and inclusive environment for students. It states “The club is a space for LGBTQ+ students and allies.”
“With the startling rise of alt-right, homophobic and transphobic views, it's more important now than ever to celebrate pride," Cloke said. "Queer people have always existed throughout humanity's history, and we will continue to exist despite individuals like Trump attempting to erase us. Pride is a protest.”
Among the queer community Pride is most definitely a celebration, but the roots of Pride are in political resistance and Pride events today are still, at their core, about the continued push for 2SLGBTQI+ rights and safety.
