Gray proclaims Gay Pride Week in Kelowna

On Saturday, Kelowna mayor Walter Gray officially proclaimed this week to be Gay Pride Week in the city.

The announcement was made at Mission Creek Park as the community gathered to mark Pride Week festivities, and the proclamation is a long time coming.

In 1997, during his first round in office, Gray refused to use the word “pride” in his gay and lesbian proclamation. The refusal sparked anger and disappointment among the local gay community.

The issue went all the way to the Human Rights Tribunal, which found that omitting the word “pride” was discriminatory.

Gray says a lot has changed in the past 15 years.

“Things have changed in the way I feel and the way society acts and reacts. Fifteen years ago, there was not even the suggestion of same sex couples and gay marriages. Now it’s pretty much accepted,” Gray said.

“Tolerance is a word that has an entirely different meaning. Back then, tolerance was putting up with something. Now it’s embracing it. Diversity is part of our vocabulary. It’s not just about the gay community. It’s about the greater community,” he said.