Pride House at the Olympic Winter Games has been an amazing success.
The comments and attention the first ever Pride House pavilion has garnered at an Olympic Games has exceeded our expectations. Speaking with guests from all over the world it is evident that having this pavilion is important because for the first time the LGBT community feels visible at these Games. It has provided a platform to discuss homophobia and an opportunity to evoke policy change at various national sporting organizations including the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Even during these Games, which in some media are calling the “Gayest Olympics Ever” — or as I prefer to refer to them, “the most inclusive ever” — we had some disappointments. We were shocked to learn that Alain Goldberg and Claude Mailhot on the show Le Réveil Olympique, which aired Feb. 17 on Quebec’s RDS sports network, made homophobic slurs and questioned the validity of U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir because he did not conform to a particular stereotype.
This again shows the importance of this pavilion in creating a dialogue on homophobia as sports continue to evolve, and where in some sports like figure skating, athleticism and performance art are blending. We as a society should be embracing authenticity and the value of being genuine, because when an athlete is able to shed the burden of hiding him or herself, she or he can then focus all of his/her energy on the sport — rather than diverting some energy in trying to maintain a false persona.
Next week as the Olympic flags come down, only to be replaced by the colourful iconic rainbow banners of Gay Whistler’s WinterPRIDE, we anticipate we will be able to keep the Olympic magic and energy spilling over. The festival — designed with four key elements of sports, culinary, health and wellness, and entertainment — will again deliver a Pride festival like no other.
The legendary Travelocity Never Roam Alone ski and snowboard guides will take our guests on an epic journey exploring the incredible terrain of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, led by our very own John Sutherland. Experience a culinary adventure with Bearfoot Bistro chef Melissa Craig, wine tastings at Pride House with Barefoot Wines, and learn the art of blending sparkling wine to make refreshing cocktails.
There are social events for gals, the “Bears,” and the guys — from Bubbles and Boobies, to the Pool Party, plus the annual MountainTOP Snowball with Grammy Award winning headliner DJ Hex Hector on Saturday, March 6 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler. For more information on this and the festival, go to www.gaywhistler.com or visit Pride House at the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre.
