MUSKOKA, ON-As part of its annual celebration of Pride, rainbow flags are being risen across the various municipalities in cottage country.
Among the several flags, the will be going up between today and tomorrow, Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith was joined by Secretary for Muskoka Pride Shawn Forth and President Mervin Taylor-Morin to recognize and celebrate members of the LGBTQ community.
Smith told MyMuskokaNow that he couldn’t imagine Bracebridge not being a community where people don’t feel welcomed. “This community has been built on people helping people and respecting others. It doesn’t matter who you are, you have a home here in this community.”
Morin said that the flag-raising is important to the entire LGBTQ community, “because when you see that flag flying up there, you know that you are welcome.”
He adds that this is a major reason why the flag is raised every year.
Forth notes that if he saw the flag flying at a young age, it would have helped him maybe come out much earlier in life rather than in his late 20’s. “It is a sign that the town is very inclusive. So it really does help create that sense of a welcoming town.”
This year’s Pride week has moved to a mainly online format, but the community will also be holding in-person events. If you do decide to check these out, however, Morin is asking everyone to wear a mask and remember to physical distance from one another so as to stay safe.
For more information about the events going on this week, read our other story here.