There's a pink elephant in the room every time criticism is raised about Pride Toronto; the organization is structured to serve white gay men’s agendas.
All the forays into diversity it has achieved have been tangential to pleasing
this core demographic.
Legitimate claims of racism, ableism, and corporatism marred
2016's festivities, but how couldn't they? The idea that a committee of
directors, staff, and volunteers can meet the demands of Toronto's diverse
queer communities is ludicrous.
Blinded by ego and good intentions, Pride Toronto suffers a crisis
of representation. A small group believes they can represent a vast population
across immeasurable difference.
Pride Toronto would have to spend half, if not more, of its resources on community consultations attempting to be representative, and it would still likely fail. Please see Pride Toronto's latest community update following a most contentions town hall meeting. Denying this reality will only lead to more conflict, protest, and dejection.
Pride Toronto would have to spend half, if not more, of its resources on community consultations attempting to be representative, and it would still likely fail. Please see Pride Toronto's latest community update following a most contentions town hall meeting. Denying this reality will only lead to more conflict, protest, and dejection.
Let's raze the institution of Pride Toronto, and in its place,
resurrect a Pride Toronto Foundation. Devolve the bulk of event planning to
community groups through a generous granting program, and empower communities
to represent themselves. This approach is inherently a better community relationship than trying and failing to achieve representation on behalf of marginalized
people.
I doubt I'm alone in the suggesting we burn it down, and built it
back better.