Happy Pride!
Pride Week is one of the primary arts and cultural festivals in Canada, and is also celebrated worldwide. Although June is often recognized as Pride Month, this year, Halifax Pride is being celebrating between the 12th and 22nd of August.
For many, celebrating Pride means dressing up, going to festivals or parades, waving our pride flags and accepting and expressing ourselves, and other peoples’ identities.
Although Pride is a great time to be vibrant and joyful, it’s important to remember that Pride has not always been sunshine and literal rainbows.
Pride Month was created to commemorate a critical moment in queer history – the Stonewall Uprising (also known as the Stonewall Riot), which was a protest that lasted 6 days in Manhattan between police and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) protestors in June 1969.
It’s important to note the acronym LGBTQ continues to evolve but is often referred to as LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersexual, Asexual, Two-Spirit, plus).
Pride Month was born from overcoming discrimination and hardships faced by the LGBTQIA2S+ community – some of which still exist today.
Celebrations should, then, include an acknowledgement and recognition of the accomplishments of advocates in the LGBTQIA2S+ community and allies, while continuing to work towards equity for all.
One way we can start to understand the lived experience of others is by “stepping into someone else’s shoes”, as the saying goes. We can do this by (yes, you already know what we’re about to suggest!) reading novels and poetry anthologies by Canadian authors who identify as being part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
Check out our selection of Ebooks and Print books available to you through the Patrick Power Library’s catalogue.
Novels Available as Ebooks
Follow the links provided to the Ebooks available – for extra help, you can also check out our resource on how to access and download library books. You’ll need to have your S number and password nearby.
- Johnny Appleseed : a novel
- Butter Honey Pig Bread: a novel
- One in Every Crowd: Stories
- Love after the End
- Mad Long Emotion
- War/Torn
- Angry Queer Somali Boy
- Little Fish
Novels Available as Print Books
If reading a physical book is more your style, you can borrow materials from the Patrick Power Library. Don’t see it in our collection? You can also request materials from other libraries. The books below are all print books available in our catalogue.
- High School
- We Have Always Been Here
- Belated Bris of the Brainsick
- Polar Vortex : a novel
- Queer Returns
- nîtisânak
- Disintegrate/dissociate : poems
- Untamed
Reading stories written by members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community can help to highlight some of the barriers faced by this group. If you are, or if you know someone going through similar struggles, you can check out the following links for some great resources that may be able to help.
- Saint May’s University LGBTQ2S+ Resources
- Nova Scotia Health, Gender, and Sexuality Resources
- Resources for 2SLGBTQ+ Immigrants
Expanding your reading list to include underrepresented voices not only gives you a safe space to read and learn, but the cover of diversified books can also indicate to others that there is a safe space with you, as well.
Can’t find a book that interests you? This is just the tip of the iceberg! Connect with our Research Help team- we’ll be happy to chat and help you find something great to read for Pride.
What are you reading for Pride Week?
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