In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing need for physical distancing to reduce the chance of spreading the virus, the Pride Committee of the Queer Yukon Society regretfully announces that the in-person elements of the 2020 Yukon Pride: 24 Hours of Gaylight, scheduled for June 1-7, will be postponed.

To keep each other safe right now, we need to follow the directives of Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, which include staying home as much as possible, keeping at least two metres away from other people when in public, and not gathering in groups. Queer Yukon and the Pride Committee applaud the healthcare workers, public health officials, essential service providers and others who are working to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has been a difficult decision for the Pride Committee, and we share your disappointment and frustration. Pride is traditionally a chance for us to gather as a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, queer and allied persons. More than just a series of events, Yukon Pride is an opportunity for connection, celebrating human rights advances and social inclusion, and asserting our right to exist freely and joyfully.
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While we are not able to celebrate in person right now, we can still celebrate! The Pride Committee is working hard to bring you events in creative ways that will allow us to celebrate and come together while respecting physical distancing and keeping each other safe. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!

Finally, Queer Yukon and the Pride Committee want to acknowledge that this is a difficult time for our community. Members of the LGBTQ2S+ community are impacted by COVID-19 in specific ways, sometimes experiencing violence in unsupportive homes, losing work, missing friends, and our usual outlets for expression and support. We are all coping with this situation as best we can, but we want to urge you to support each other if you can, and to reach out if you need it; a list of public resources is listed below.

Stay proud and stay safe, folks.

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For more information or media inquiries please contact:

Chris Lovatt [EN]
Treasurer, Queer Yukon Society
cllovatt@gmail.com

MC Boucher [FR]
Director, Queer Yukon Society
mariecbouc19@gmail.com

For information about Queer Yukon and community updates please visit queeryukon.com or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
  

Queer Yukon Society (QYS) and All Genders Yukon Society (AGYS) have hired Joe Wickenhauser who will serve as the Executive Director for Yukon’s first Pride Centre. Last month, QYS and AGYS announced a partnership to establish a Pride Centre in Yukon to develop a safe and visible space for Yukon's LGBTQ2S+ communities.  
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Chris Boodram, President of QYS, said Wickenhauser was hired following a national search that generated interest from nearly 30 candidates: "Thanks to the support of the Yukon Government, we are thrilled to be able to hire someone with a proven track record of working collaboratively with rural LGBTQ2S+ communities to identify and establish needed programs and services.” 
Wickenhauser co-founded Moose Jaw Pride, a Pride Festival which later developed a community drop-in centre, a provincial network of pride organizers, and a thrift shop under his leadership. 

Boodram added that the Pride Centre’s first Executive Director will be key to ensuring its long-term success and that Wickenhauser would be a welcome addition to the team: "We are looking forward to accomplishing great things for our communities with his support.” 

Chase Blodgett, President of AGYS thanked the Yukon government for recognizing the crucial need for a safe space for LGBTQ2S+ Yukoners and welcomed Wickenhauser to the new role: "Joe brings great vision, skills and experience to this project and has a strong awareness of the unique challenges facing gender and sexually diverse folks in northern rural communities.” 

Originally from Strasbourg, SK (pop. 700), Wickenhauser’s experience as a queer person in a rural community inspired him to work to support others in a similar setting. 

“It took me a long time to accept myself because there were no resources or supports available to me in my community,” Wickenhauser said. “But once I realized there were so many other LGBTQ2S+ people like me in small towns and rural areas, I wanted to find ways to connect.” 

After searching for queer identity and community in larger cities, Wickenhauser completed a master's thesis on the history of LGBTQ2S+ advocacy and organizing in Moose Jaw and Saskatchewan. When he returned to Moose Jaw to visit family, community members asked him to organize some pride events. 

“100 people showed up to our flag raising and I was completely stunned. That was when we started to dream about what else could be possible,” Wickenhauser said. 

Over time, Moose Jaw Pride incorporated and began offering support services and educational workshops, advocating for change, and developing year-round programming in smaller communities across Saskatchewan. The organization also partnered with the local school division to develop inclusive policies, a Gay Straight Alliance, and to create Canada’s first high school credit course on gender and sexual diversity. 

In addition to his work with Moose Jaw Pride, Wickenhauser has passionately promoted LGBTQ2S+ history through walking tours, presentations, and even the curation of Saskatchewan’s first permanent exhibit on gender and sexual diversity at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. 

Wickenhauser also played a lead role in developing the “Time 4 Rights” social media campaign which led to explicit protections for gender identity and gender expression within the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. 

Wickenhauser has received numerous awards for his work including a Saskatoon Heritage Award, CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40 Award, and a nomination as Moose Jaw's Citizen of the Year. 

Most recently, Wickenhauser has worked for Fierté Canada Pride as the Tourism Development Manager and has been supporting pride organizations dealing with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he is currently working remotely from Kelowna, Wickenhauser plans to relocate to Whitehorse over the summer. 

In developing the Yukon Pride Centre, Wickenhauser said he plans to spend the coming weeks continuing to connect with people in the LGBTQ2S+ community and other community leaders across Yukon which have already generated some exciting ideas. 
“As a newcomer to Yukon, it's really important for me to take the time to engage with and learn from the community I will be serving--I'm really looking forward to the incredible things we'll be able to accomplish together." 

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For media requests or for more information, please contact: 

Chris Boodram 
President, Queer Yukon Society 
(613) 237-9554 
boodramcp@yahoo.ca 

OR

Chase Blodgett 
President, All Genders Yukon Society 
(867) 689-2673 
c.blodgett@hotmail.com  

OR 

Joe Wickenhauser 
Executive Director, Yukon Pride Centre 
(867) 689-7862 
joe@queeryukon.com 

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About Us Queer Yukon Society  
Queer Yukon Society supports, promotes, and organizes events for the LGBTQ2S+ community and our allies in Whitehorse, Yukon. Officially incorporated in 2018, Queer Yukon has been organizing Yukon Pride since 2013, as well as many other events to bring together LGBTQ2S+ and allied Yukoners to build a strong and vibrant community. 

All Genders Yukon Society  
The All Genders Yukon Society provides services to members of the Trans, Two-Spirit, Non-binary and questioning community, as well as their primary supports (significant others, family and immediate supports). AGYS helps community members by distributing funding for mental health services. Additionally, AGYS meets the needs of this demographic as requested which includes outreach, social and community events (suspended due to COVID-19), resources for tourists and information about how to access trans-friendly medical services. Contact us at AGYSboard@gmail.com