CP: Canadian military personnel march in the Gay Pride parade for the first time

[tuvor]

TORONTO — Hundreds of revellers danced, shimmied, and strutted their way through downtown Toronto Sunday in the Gay Pride parade - and for the first time, members of the Canadian Armed Forces were among them.

"It's a huge thing for me personally," said Warrant Officer John McDougall, a parade participant who has been an openly gay member of the military for 13 years. "To be able to be in public and be recognized not just for being a soldier, but for being a soldier who happens to be gay is amazing."

McDougall and his colleagues joined 5,000 drag queens, bikers, and scantily-clad men who marched in the parade in front of more than one million spectators. Other participants in the flashy celebration included Liberal MPs Bob Rae and Belinda Stronach, Toronto Mayor David Miller, and Federal NDP leader Jack Layton.

Toronto Pride Executive director Fatima Amarshi said that the Armed Forces initiated their participation in the parade.

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http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioXlt4ame_A5hd6Fb2Wo9_smF7sA

[LakeSamish706]

1. Good on them... And it would seem that they have serious support from...

some political persons... This should be a huge embarrassment to Stevie Harper...

[lightningandsnow]

2. I was there!

It was lovely.

[tuvor]

3. Nice to meet you, AspieGrrl.

Were you aware that there's a Canada forum on DU? Feel free to join in!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=190