![lesbian gay flag pride month lesbian gay flag pride month](https://images.assetsdelivery.com/compings_v2/chormail/chormail2101/chormail210100047.jpg)
2021 is a year of significant milestones, as 30 years ago Toronto elected its first openly gay City Councillor, Kyle Rae, and that same year the City of Toronto proclaimed Pride Day for the first time. “Raising the Rainbow and Transgender flags at City Hall is always a special moment for me. I encourage all Torontonians to show their support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, its businesses and artists by attending one of the many virtual Pride events taking place this month.” Pride events are some of our city’s most beloved moments and are a true signal of a Toronto summer. “Although, COVID-19 has changed how we celebrate Pride in the month of June, it is important to continue recognizing and acknowledging the many contributions this community has made to our city and the continued work ahead in building an inclusive city for our 2SLGBTQ+ community. To read the Mayor’s proclamation, view the 2021 flag raising video and learn more about key milestones for Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ community, visit here The 2021 festival runs from Tuesday, June 1 to Sunday, June 27, culminating in a virtual Pride Parade that honours Pride’s history, highlights Toronto talent and fosters community.
![lesbian gay flag pride month lesbian gay flag pride month](https://previews.123rf.com/images/yuliia1996/yuliia19962009/yuliia1996200900019/156595969-.jpg)
While the COVID-19 pandemic means in-person celebrations are not currently possible, the City encourages residents to virtually participate in one of Toronto’s largest annual cultural events. The annual Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of Toronto’s diverse 2SLGBTQ+ communities. This year marks two major anniversaries for Toronto’s Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex and questioning communities (2SLGBTQ+): the 40th anniversary of Pride Toronto and the 30th anniversary of the City proclaiming Pride Day. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s flag raising ceremony was held virtually and featured pre-recorded messages from Mayor Tory, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre), Sherwin Modeste, Executive Director of Pride Toronto, and Grant Gonzales and Yuri Hernandez, Pride Toronto Board of Directors Co-Chairs.Īfter the Rainbow and Transgender flags are raised on the courtesy flagpole, following conversations with Pride Toronto, they will be immediately lowered to half-mast in memory of the 215 children whose bodies were buried at Kamloops Indian Residential School in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territory. Today, Mayor John Tory proclaimed Pride Month in Toronto and the Rainbow and Transgender flags were raised at City Hall.