LGSR Presents "Pride"

What an incredible night! On Dec. 2 at 7pm, Lesbians and Gays Supports Refugees presented a free screening of Matthew Warchus's  film Pride. The film, based on true events, tells the story of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM). LGSM was founded by a group of gays and lesbians in 1984 during the miners' strike in the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The group, headed by Mark Ashton, sought to help raise funds to support the miners during their strike and protests against the Thatcher government. The group faced hostility from miners' homophobia as well as other members of the LGBT community who argued that LGSM should be helping lesbians and gays who were facing the AIDS epidemic. Ashton and LGSM, however, viewed the struggles as interrelated and therefore kept up the fight. The film depicts the courageous work of LGSM and the miners from a small community in Wales. The collaboration between LGSM and the miners would eventually lead to major victories for both workers' rights and LGBT rights in England.

The film is a fantastic depiction of what solidarity between (supposedly) opposing groups looks like and the changes it can bring. It is from LGSM and the film that our own group found inspiration to name ourselves Lesbians and Gays Support Refugees (LGSR). We have taken the principles of solidarity and recognizing the interlocking forms that oppression can take to guide our work to help raise money to sponsor LGBTQIA+ refugees from Syria and Iraq.  If you have not seen this film, go see it!

The members of LGSR are also thrilled to mention that after reaching out to LGSM in London, England, we received a statement of solidarity! The statement from LGSM reads as follows:

"It is truly heart-warming and inspiring to hear that in Canada Lesbians & Gays Support the Refugees are organising a screening of Pride to raise funds for, and awareness of, the plight of those driven from their own countries by conflict and war. Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners send our solidarity greetings to all those who attend the screening and urge you all to take the plight of those escaping conflict into your own workplaces, families, labour and community organisations  Where Governments turn a blind-eye, the citizens of the countries to which these people are fleeing must demand that refuge is provided. Together, we are strong."

We would like to thank LGSM for their continued support and inspiration.

The evening of the screening was a huge success! With a little over 30 people in attendance the room was filled with laughter and tears (both happy and sad). Not only was it an incredible night of learning the histories of LGBT activism and solidarity with workers, the night was also a success in fundraising . The generosity of those attending the screening was incredible. In one evening, we were able to raise a over $1,700 towards our sponsoring of LGBTQIA+ Syrian and Iraqi refugees!

We would like to thank all who attended and gave so generously. You are all helping to make the world a better place.  We look forward to seeing you at our future events. Keep a lookout on our blog and facebook page for upcoming events.

Thank you,

Lesbians and Gays Support Refugees