Planting Pride was a chance to make connections with like-minded neighbours, who want LGBTQ2S+ people in Watrous to feel seen and welcomed.
On a chilly winter night in Watrous, Sask., people arrive at the GreenAcres Greenhouse in twos and threes, brushing the snow off their jackets and breathing in the scent of spruce, pine and cedar.
Everyone is laughing and catching up with friends from across town, comparing notes on the best grocery deals at the Co-op and the trials and triumphs of being a hockey parent.
In this town of under 2,000 people, an evening at the greenhouse can be a lot like coffee row.
But people haven’t just come here to enjoy the greenery and shoot the breeze. They’re also asking: what would it take for us to start a Pride committee in our area? How can we get our queer and trans kids involved in more activities with other youth like them from around the province? How can we best support the LGBTQ2S+ people we love?
The night’s event — Planting Pride — includes a presentation on allyship with LGBTQ2S+ people, organized by the Humboldt and Area Pride Network.
Then, attendees will make Christmas planters with spruce boughs, ornaments and rainbow flags to take home and showcase the love and cheer of the holiday season.
Amidst it all, Aileen Martin bounces between conversations, welcoming people into the greenhouse while adding more Pride flags and silvery adornments to everything within reach.
Martin, a community consultant with the Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation, organized the district’s first Planting Pride event in Craven in the summer.
“We had so much fun with it,” she said. “We had such a cool conversation on allyship and how to support communities, and then we got together and pumped up the music and made these beautiful planters.”
The summer’s event went so well that she couldn’t wait to bring it back. And to her, a Christmas-themed event in Watrous was the obvious choice.
“There’s not much going on, in terms of Pride, in the middle of winter or in the middle of rural Saskatchewan,” she said. “But we knew Watrous would be a good success for us, because we know they did some Pride initiatives this summer, and they’ve got a strong community background.
“And this time, I thought it would be a good idea to do something fun and festive while we’re bringing people together in a safe space.”
For some who attended, Planting Pride was a chance to get a head start on organizing next year’s Pride month festivities.
Sarah McKen came over from the village of Manitou Beach, just seven minutes down the road, where she owns and operates the Little Manitou Art Gallery.
“We had a bit of a Pride event last year at the gallery, and I want to make sure we have that again in 2023,” McKen said. “So this was a chance to do some networking, and a little bit of planning too.”
For McKen, it’s important to support events like this in rural communities — casual events where everyone can feel “the comfort of being authentic and open to learning and asking questions.
“And of course, to walk into a greenhouse in December is always a real treat,” she said.
Gathered around the table in the back room of the greenhouse, participants got to work on their planters.
“They want support, events, and friends — and most of those are far away,” said Harding, who has spent many evenings and weekends shuttling kids back and forth to Humboldt, so they can participate in Humboldt and Area Pride Network activities.
From across the greenhouse table, Martin was eager to tell her about some of the Prairie Central District grants that might help make all that travel more affordable.
“Every time we do something like this, the questions and conversations are awesome, and it’ll be fun to see what comes of it in two or three months,” Martin said. “Will there be more of these conversations in some of these other communities?”
“It’s awesome,” he said. ‘It’s something that never was a thing when I was growing up or in school — and I wasn’t in school that long ago. But back then, ‘gay’ wasn’t something that was even talked about.
“Now, to see something like this, it’s great.”
— Local Journalism Initiative
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