So this year, Toronto Pride is celebrating it’s 30th year.
I wanted to do a portraits series of 30 queers in the community. Of course time and logistics got the best of me. I still want to do the project, but figured I’d make it more personal and shoot 30 of my friends. With each portrait I wanted to post their own personally story about pride. Could be about your first pride, a funny anecdote, whatever, as long as there is a positive spin too it.
So the original idea was to shoot only 30 people, so this afternoon, I started sending out facebook mail to all the people I knew, claiming a first come-first serve arrangement. I haven’t even finished sending out all my notes yet and I’ve already filled more than 20 spots. So I’m considering expanding and doing 140 portraits instead, for my new “140 characters” site coming soon.
So let me know if you want to participate and tell me, What’s your favourite Pride story?
Hey Rannie
I’d love to be a part of this. A few years ago I meet a friend of a friend and we hung out all Pride weekend. Everyone thought we were a couple all weekend. We even had someone from the The Star want to take our picture after the parade because he thought we were a couple. It’s my best memory of meetings someone new and cool and getting to spend the weekend with my friends I love and care about.
–
Duane
Hey Rannie, great idea! Although I don’t fall into the ‘Queer’ category, my favourite year at Pride (2001?) was when I met you and Michelle. Finding out she was officially a fan and was the literally one of 3 people that owned my CD.
Good luck, and can’t wait to see the results!
My favourite Pride memory… I was living in Windsor and decided to make the trek (which would become an annual pilgrimage) to Toronto for my first Pride. I was a newbie, so I really wanted to document the experience, and kept my camera at the ready. Initially, it was all pics of flashy floats and topless boys (the lens was guided by my then 20-year-old brain, after all). However, while I was taking a break on the sidelines of the parade route, I met a family from Asia – mom, dad and two kids under 5. They were new arrivals to Canada and were so excited to bring their children to a parade. The daughter was busily waving her rainbow Pride flag. The son was happily sporting his “Loud and Proud” bandana. They demonstrated such openness, such a profoundly easy acceptance of difference, and helped to remind me of the real beauty of Pride. They were kind enough to allow me to take a picture of them, which is my favourite picture from that Pride and any since.