The Halifax Pride festival will be without the support of several organizations this year as the festivities are being boycotted.
Dalhousie University’s student union is the latest organization to join the boycott, saying they won’t be marching in the parade.
“Dalhousie Student Union has been very active in pride, sending students ever year including marching contingents. They'll be missed, but I frankly don't think that the students will stay away,” says Halifax Pride's executive director, Adam Reid.
Members of the Dalhousie Student Union passed a motion in January to boycott Halifax pride following a controversy that took place at the Pride annual general meeting.
In October, a resolution to remove a pro-Israel campaign from the festival was defeated, leaving a number of local societies feeling marginalized.
"It's not really about being pro-Israel or not. It's about acknowledging the fact that pink washing has happened within Halifax Pride. Until they recognize that and speak with the communities that have had these concerns for years and have actually rebuilt that relationship, I don't see how we can really move forward," says Masuma Khan, Vice President Academic of the Dalhousie Student Union.
Other organizations boycotting Halifax Pride include: The Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students, Queer Arabs of Halifax, and South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre.
The Dalhousie Student Union says they recognize the efforts of Halifax Pride, and understand they have introduced new initiatives to make the festival more inclusive. However, they would like to see more done.
“It's great to be making those strides and moving forward, but at the same time they haven't really acknowledged the pink washing that took place at Halifax pride for the previous years,” says Khan.
The Halifax Pride festival runs from July 20th-30th, with the parade marching through downtown Halifax on Saturday the 22nd.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Allan April
