Gay Pride Week kicks off in the Okanagan

Gay Pride Week is officially underway in the Okanagan.

The first ever Okanagan Pride Interfaith Spiritual Gathering took place Sunday afternoon in downtown Kelowna.

A panel with ministers from the Unitarian Church, First United and Centre for Spiritual Living gathered to speak about how to incorporate diversity in their religious communities.

The event was one of the many workshops and events being held in Kelowna as part of the weeklong festivities.

But this year’s Pride Week is different from years past: 15 years ago, Kelowna mayor Walter Gray refused to include the word “pride” in a proclamation during his first stint in office.

Just a few months ago, he had a change of heart and signed a proclamation marking Gay Pride Week.

Many people are pleased about the growing support the LGBT community is receiving.

“We are so pleased that his worship is taking a leading support role for us this year,” said Raymond Koehler with the Okanagan Rainbow Coalition. “Gay people, lesbian people, bisexual people go through the same kind of lifestyle that everybody else does. Children are born. We grow up. We become adults. We have marriages. We have funerals. These are all events that sort of interface with that spiritual aspect of life.”

Events for Okanagan Pride Week will run every day until next Sunday.