For the past 30 years, the Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival (Inside Out) has been part of the city’s cultural fabric and an important platform for the LGBTQ+ community to tell their incredible stories. This year, RBC offered four LGBTQ+ small business owners the chance to attend Inside Out and enjoy the ‘Best Seats in the House’, including VIP spots at the exclusive drive-in film premieres and experiences. This week we spoke to one of those selected, Pink Triangle Press, to learn more!
Describe your charity/non-profit in a few sentences.
Pink Triangle Press has been at the forefront of the LGBTQ2+ rights movement for nearly five decades, primarily through our journalism activities, beginning with our seminal publication, The Body Politic which began in 1971. The Body Politic was included in Masthead Magazine’s list of 25 most important Canadian publications and Toronto Life’s list of top-ten moments in LGBT History. The Body Politic was superseded by our Xtra chain of community newspapers in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa and now lives on in our website.
What problem does it aim to solve?
LGBTAQ2+ rights and equality
When did you start it?
Pink Triangle Press was founded in 1971 as a volunteer collective and remains a not-for-profit governed organization.
What was the situation like when you started?
The LGBTQ2+ community faced rampant societal discrimination and even police brutality.
How has it changed since?
In Canada, much progress with Charter recognition human rights legislation, etc, but there is still much to do, particularly in supporting LGBTQ2+ youth and other marginalized communities, and of course, in the rest of the world there still exists extreme repression and brutality and even regression in “advanced” societies, e.g. Poland, Russia, etc.
What more needs to be done?
First world citizens need to elect fair and just governments and keep pressure on them to advance global human rights.
How can our readers help?
Support LGBTQ2+ organizations that fight for social justice in any way they can – financially, politically, through social media, etc.
Where can we follow you?
Our community chain of magazines can be found at xtramagazine.com
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
