Nicole Sheppard
Dear editor,
I have been following along with the pride drama that is occurring in the town of Emo and I haven’t read any positive articles about the true feelings of LBGTQ persons in Emo.
I am a bisexual woman living in Emo. I love it here. I have been warmly welcomed by the community and find this town lovely. Many businesses have hired gay people and the town is no different than any other community in Canada. Many businesses take part in the day of pink – which encompasses ALL forms of bullying, and represents strength in being who you are and acceptance. I am proud of who I am, whether I am dating a man, or a woman. I don’t hide who I am, and I don’t need to shout it from the rooftops either. I simply AM.
I can tell you though, as a bisexual woman, I would never have anything to do with Borderland Pride. They do not represent me or my interests. In my heart, I feel like they are bullies. What true pioneers of the gay movement have done and preached about for years, is that we all have the right to be who we are, this includes, being straight or gay. It is not up to us, (the LBGTQ community) to force others to become us or even celebrate us. In my opinion, Borderland Pride is undoing all of the accomplishments others have achieved. We all have the right to our own feelings and beliefs.
There are many organizations, holidays, movements, etc., that I don’t take part in, and that’s ok. That’s freedom. That’s choice. Borderland Pride, in my heart and opinion, makes me feel like they are ramming everyone’s head into the ground and beating on them until they love or even become gay. Shame on them. I love who I am, I love this community. I support the empowerment to always be who I am and I talk about that whenever I feel like it. I detest the circus that Borderland Pride has created, I’m embarrassed that they are using words like “Ambush”. That is a war phrase, which pretty much sums up my feelings of Borderland Pride being bullies.
I am bisexual and I do not fly the pride flag. I don’t need to. I don’t fly any type of flag on my house and I don’t need to be told that I “must”, or I “should”. I am happy and I love who I am. I also don’t think the town needs to fly the pride flag for a month. That request is nothing more than ridiculous, and yet it has turned town people against each other, when there wasn’t animosity before. Villains throughout history have been good at doing this. Borderland Pride is NOT what PRIDE is all about.
Nicole Sheppard
