Robin Metcalfe is no stranger to the queer community in Halifax. Metcalfe, who works at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax as the director-curator of the school’s art gallery, has been named this year’s grand marshal in Halifax’s Pride parade on July 24.
Tell me about your past participation in Pride.
I’ve been active in the gay, lesbian and queer movements in Halifax since 1975, so I was part of the community that launched Pride.
How do you think we’ve progressed since then?
The most obvious way in which we’ve progressed is by securing human rights protection. It took a good 20-year struggle for that, the most recent being securing the right to
marry.
You’ve been named grand marshal of the parade. What does that entail?
As far as I can tell it mainly involves riding in a convertible and waving at people. I will be raising the flag on Monday with the mayor at 5 o’clock and I am doing some other things related to pride week.
Who participates in the parade?
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, two spirited, intersex and anyone who identifies under the general label of queer. By its nature it’s always been a particularly diverse community, which is a challenge, but there’s something glorious in attempting to bring together a community that is so diverse.
