“Being from a country where we don't, can't, hold pride events, it feels incredible to be in a city where I can "choose my Pride". To me, that means choosing where and with whom you want to celebrate your life, your pride, and your queerness. It is amazing to spend it with my wife and my friends in beautiful Vancouver for the third year in a row. It makes me feel like Vancouver is home! This city, with all its streets and its environment is proud to have us, and that makes it feel like home, more than anywhere else ever has." — Mida Malek
Pride to me means the freedom to be your full authentic self without fear or judgement. — Karmella Barr
"To us it means to celebrate Pride in a way that is authentically YOU! It’s a great reminder that we get to choose how we enjoy Pride season, and it won’t look the same for everyone. Different people celebrate in different ways, and everyone in the community should be free to find their own meaning in Pride. For us, in 2021 we’ll be choosing to celebrate the strength and resiliency of the LGBTQ+ community. This past year has been so tough, but we know everyone will come together after all this hardship to connect with one another and celebrate love!" — Steph & Katie
“Throughout my life and my transition, I struggled with finding myself and acceptance. I kept searching for something, I guess other people's acceptance and as I got older, I realized, why was I so worried about everyone else and their opinions when they don't matter. So be proud, be humble and love yourself.” — Jazmine Smith
“If you were to share something with your younger self about Pride, what would you say? “I would tell her that it's ok that you haven't figured it all out yet. You are welcome here.” — Breanne Williamson
“May all the Queers get paid for their work and have sustainable housing and food security and bodies of calm and nervous systems programmed for ease this Pride month (and forever) — Angelic
“Choosing my pride means abolishing all the shame around my queerness that is deeply conditioned by society. It means choosing to live my most authentically radiant truth no matter what anyone thinks of it. It means choosing my pleasure against all odds.” — Anjalica Aabshar
“What Pride means to me is living powerfully, openly and freely. It is about acknowledging your own power, it is about being honest with yourself and with others and spreading that love of individuality, humanity and the vibrancy of this world. Our community is founded by Black Trans + Women of Colour and it is important to recognize and acknowledge the importance of where we came from and how far we’ve come. So thank-you Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera, Bayard Rustin and Audre Lorde for standing tall so that we could jump for joy.” — Lyle Chan
CHOOSE
YOUR PRIDE
Pride doesn’t look the same for every community member and the Vancouver Pride Society wanted to recognize and celebrate that Pride means many things to many people.
The ‘Choose Your Pride’ Campaign focused on 8 Vancouver Instagram influencers who shared what Pride means to them and who would became the Face of Vancouver Pride 2021.