Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 3, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press june 2001 who Are my parents offspring born of new reproductive technologies fight to learn genetic heritage Carolin Vesely 6977076 panel picks Winnies winners two artistic children win privilege of unveiling Pooh painting lesbians celebrate our existence Pride and prejudice by Leah Hendry Keith Louise Fulton marched in Winnipeg first Ever Pride March in and she was Fulton didst know if the Parade would turn or if there would be repercussions for her Chil Dren and a backlash from her col she want the Only barely 100 people marched in the the stigma of coming out was so Many people came in disguise or wore paper bags Over their All these intimidating things made it easier today not said Ful who is the head of the English department at the University of win she thought about skipping but built up the courage to March at the breakfast before the As she talked and visited other people at the she understood Why she was its important to celebrate our Fulton each bit of visibility helps us become a Normal part of Gay Pride were were became a rallying cry for millions of homosexuals across North America after the Stonewall riots in new York City in the seed for the very first Gay Pride since Gay Pride has become an annual event celebrated in cities All Over the Gay Pride began As a political state ment but has evolved into a Cerebra last More than people marched in with about the same number cheering them on from the what does it mean to be Gay in Winnipeg a better life than 14 years says the organizer of Pride while we dont have the advantage of being a metropolitan City like Toronto or new we have our own said Dennis the Pride 2001 its a tight knit Community that has the Friendly feeling of a Small Winnipeg is leaps and Bounds beyond some of the larger cities it shows being Gay is no longer a Road Block to who or what you can it want always that Glen Murray was 17 years old when he first knew he wanted to be in poli at the there were no openly Gay Many people were unsure of the consequences of coming Murray now there Are so Many people its getting in Many Murray says he feels like an honorary straight person because Hes in in never sure whether the world has changed that much or i just dont have to Deal with the bigotry because in the Murray although landmark court cases granting same sex benefits have helped change the social and Legal Cli Gays and lesbians believe its a tight knit Community that has the Friendly feeling of a Small town Keith Louise Fulton top photo hangs a Rainbow Flag from her West end participants take part in Winnipeg first Ever Pride March in Fulton was one of Only about 100 Brave souls to join the acceptance has also been sparked by those people who had the courage to walk Handi hand with their partner in Gay Pride events around the one of my friends told me that what we Are fighting for is nothing Murray we Are fighting to be treated like everybody where there will be a Day when you can introduce your partner and no one will blink an for Ken Pride Day has become a lot like Patricks Day a Chance to hang out with friends and have a Good moved to Winnipeg in 1971 and spent two years in therapy trying to become he came out in 1974 and started a Catholic dig nity chapter in Winnipeg for Gays and uie Are in part to prevent others from fighting 10 going through what be treated he i was taught that i Iii god hated me and i everybody was going to go to said ci5c who has been with mayor his John Glen Murray for 22 i wanted to show people that while god May not be pleased with everything we he loves us the Catholic dignity movement hit a Roadblock in 1987 when priests were told by the Vatican they could no longer say services for Gay meet homosexuals on Church property or hold meetings with Delisle left the Church shortly Delisle joined the United Church partly because of its progressive Atti tude towards homosexuality and became the second Gay person to become a United Church minister in Canada the first in the conference of Manitoba and Northwestern celebrate it would be Nice to get to the Point where we celebrate people As Delisle in 20 years i would like to see Pride Day the same As the Santa Glaus Parade or pats where people came out to see the cos Tumes and have some people show their Pride in less visible who didst want his real name didst know what it meant to be Gay when he was growing when one of his High school friends was Dis charged from the army because he was everyone was we just didst think about sexual said it want paraded at All and there was no publicity around even though he came out to his family and friends Over 10 years he remembers How hard it was to go to his first Pride in the beginning i would hang Back on the hide behind Trees and pretend i want part of the waving surreptitiously to said who was married for 35 although homosexuality is increasingly some people dont feel the need to validate their sexual Ori continued please see 6ay Pride 12 ;