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It was exciting to see the growing number of opportunities for the community to celebrate and embrace Squamish’s

growing diversity after Pride Squamish unveiled all of the events to celebrate Pride Month this year.

From the Progress Pride Flag being raised at Municipal Hall to a cupcake social, community potlucks and picnics, there were plenty of new events to go along with town stalwarts like the monthly Cheers Queers at A-Frame Brewing or weekly Drag Bingo at The Cleveland Tavern.

Yet as these events have blossomed in celebration, there was obvious and purposeful vandalism of Downtown Squamish’s rainbow sidewalk recently, with a driver leaving their burnt-out tire marks behind, showing how much room we still have as a community for growth.

The burnout happened on or near June 1, the start of Pride Month. Burnouts, vandalism or defacing rainbow sidewalks have been reported all over Canada. And this is the second time it’s happened in Squamish, at the very same crosswalk, in the last several years.

The intent is clear.

Of course, if you need any other evidence that some people in ߣÄÌÉçÇøharbour hatred towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, then look no further than a post by the District of ߣÄÌÉçÇøin early May about hateful stickers found around town.

To some, a couple of burnouts and stickers may seem like small potatoes. But to those people, I’d ask you to question how you would feel if the same message was directed at you. 

I doubt you would just shrug your shoulders.

There’s that old saying about killing someone with kindness, which I typically align with. But there are other times when speaking up is the right thing to do. 

This is one of the latter times.

Personally, I don’t want to be someone who just shrugs off insensitivity and cruelty. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my friends in the 2SLGBTQA+ community, I ought to be as vocal as I can be alongside them.

It also seems the District of Squamish has learned a similar lesson within the last few years: instead of letting the tire marks fade with time as they did in 2021, a spokesperson confirmed in an email that this time they went to the effort of repainting the rainbow crosswalk. 

While that act in itself could be perceived as relatively minuscule, it is a necessary one, and seen and felt nonetheless.

To be frank, intolerance and discrimination will probably always rumble at a low frequency in some shape or form, whether it’s a car burnout here, a sticker there, a comment under someone’s breath, or an unconscious bias. 

All we can really hope for is that the harmony of love drowns out the dissonance of hate. 

So, when June comes to an end and the Pride events dwindle, it’s important to keep your voice loud and proud for your friends, neighbours, and even strangers.

Singing harmony is impossible to achieve alone, but with the help of everyone, it can be brilliantly beautiful. 

And, you never know who might be hoping to chime in with you.