On the first-ever Family Day, the new provincial statutory holiday on Mon, Feb 18, there will be a special event at Toronto’s City Hall for queer families and their friends. The free festivities will include drag kits for the kiddies, face painting, mural making and a musical parade around Nathan Phillips Square.
“Hopefully it’ll be a colourful event,” says Rachel Epstein, coordinator of the LGBTQ Parenting Network. “It’s all about visibility of our families on Family Day.”
There will also be resources on hand to help parents advocate for themselves and their kids.
“The idea is parents all over the city approaching their schools and saying, ‘These are things you need to think about to make yourselves more friendly to us,'” says Epstein.
In addition to establishing a queer claim on Family Day, the My Family Matters Schools Project has also been working to reclaim Valentines Day.
“We created these queer-positive valentines that you can cut apart, like those old sheets you used to get,” says Epstein.
The queer-positive valentines have been available for pick up at Sherbourne Health Centre, the 519 Community Centre and community businesses leading up to Valentine’s Day and are intended for kids and adults.
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