Thousands of people flocked to the Edmonton Pride Parade on Saturday, which is a much different scene than what Larry Jewell saw when he first started attending the event.
Jewell, 72, came out in 1967, which he calls a “very different time.”
According to him, at that time, members of the LGBTQ community were regarded as criminals, mentally ill and morally unacceptable.
Jewell also said pride parades were smaller in regards to the number of marchers and spectators.
“There was, particularly among the spectators, a fair bit of nervousness, looking over the shoulder. It was exclusively gay and very much a matter of identifying ourselves,” he said.
However, Jewell said the LGBTQ community has worked hard to identify itself and fight for “an honourable place in this society.”
Jewell took in the sights and sounds of the pride parade for a couple of hours on Saturday, clapping and cheering with the huge crowd around him.
Jewell said the LGBTQ community as a whole still has many struggles, including HIV as well as ongoing discrimination and abuse.
However, he is content with how far things have come for the community.
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