We recognize that our work takes place on these traditional territories.
Today, London and the surrounding area are subject to the Upper Canada treaties and specifically the Longwoods Treaty of 1822. We also recognize the contributions of Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening this community in particular, and our province and country as a whole. We recognize and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We also acknowledge the Attawandaran (Neutral) peoples who once settled this region alongside the Algonquin and Haudenosaunee peoples, and used this land as their traditional beaver hunting grounds. The three First Nations communities closest in proximity to us are the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation (part of the Anishinaabe), Oneida Nation of the Thames (part of the Haudenosaunee), and the Munsee-Delaware Nation (part of the Lenape). The three current and long standing Indigenous groups of this geographic region are the Anishinaabek, the Haudenosaunee and the Lenape.
Queer Events acknowledges with gratitude and respect, the longstanding relationships of the three local First Nations groups of this land and place, Deshkan Ziibiing also known as London, Ontario. There has additionally been growing acknowledgement that for many members of our Queer community, this places undue pressure on folks who are not in a safe country or circumstances to ‘come out’. "Coming out" implicitly announces - to LGBTQ individuals, allies and enemies - that queer people are aberrant. It should be noted that modern LGBT2Q+ activists believe that the idea of "coming out" reinforces a view that heterosexuality is the norm. 11, National Coming Out Day continues to promote a safe world for LGBT2Q+ individuals to live openly. Coming out was a form of activism and it was believed that when people realised they knew someone who was LGBT2Q+, they would be far more likely to support equality under the law.Įach year on Oct.
In the 1980s, when many people did not know any openly LGBT2Q+ people, ignorance and silence allowed homophobia to persist. Started in 1988 by Rob Eichberg and Jean O’Leary in celebration of the second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on Oct.