ANNOUNCEMENT: FEBRUARY 5, 2024
Borderland Pride and the Fort Frances Lakers Hockey Association are proud to announce that the Lakers’ game on Friday, March 1 will mark the community’s first ever “Pride Night” celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ diversity and inclusion in sport.
The March 1 game will see the Lakers take on the Thunder Bay North Stars. Organizers with the Lakers and Borderland Pride will be incorporating a number of Pride-themed activities, music, giveaways, and personalities into the game and – of course – Pride tape. Fans are encouraged to dress in rainbow colours and bring their Pride flags, hats, and signs.
The game gets underway at 7:10 PM at the Ice For Kids Arena. At 9:00 PM, doors will open for a special drag show at the adjacent Memorial Sports Centre auditorium, featuring local drag artists and visiting performers from Wiggins Productions. There will be cash bar and snacks available for purchase at the drag show. The show is open to all ages (but more suitable for those age 13 and up).
Tickets are available online for just $20 at www.borderlandpride.org/lakers. Your advanced ticket will get you admission to the hockey game and the drag show. (Those without advanced tickets will need to pay for separate tickets for the hockey game and drag event.)
All proceeds from the event will be split between Borderland Pride and the Fort Frances Lakers Hockey Association. Everyone is invited to come out to support inclusion in sport and local Junior ‘A’ hockey!
Lakers Night OUT is proudly sponsored by the Bayview Motel, Judson Howie LLP, Thread Shed, and Curvy Chick. Other interested sponsors for this event are encouraged to contact Borderland Pride to explore opportunities.
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Quotes:
"While the NHL has let down our community and continues to send the message that it prefers 2SLGBTQIA+ people were invisible, we are proud to see local sports organizations like the Fort Frances Lakers rise to the occasion and stand with queer, trans, and gender diverse players, fans, and families. Pride continues to grow as a movement across our region. We are looking forward to this opportunity to underscore the need for sports to be welcoming and safe environments for all members of the community."
- Peter Howie (he/him), Director, Borderland Pride
"When we first committed to hold this event, we did not imagine that hatred targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ participation in sports and the trans and drag community could get any worse. But here we are, a year later, and the Premier of Alberta has just announced efforts to stigmatize and exclude gender diverse people from sports and classrooms, attacks and violence targeting trans people and the drag community south of the border are being imitated here at home, and federal Conservatives in this region won't even meet with representatives of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to discuss these issues. This event is about taking a stand as a community to respond to that hatred with positivity, to show our local values of social inclusion, and to defend the right of every young person to live their truth and to participate fully in our community without intimidation or threats to their safety."
- Douglas W. Judson (he/him), Director, Borderland Pride
About the organizers:
Borderland Pride is the 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride organization for the Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Koochiching in Northern Minnesota, and the southeast of Treaty #3 territory.
The Fort Frances Lakers Hockey Association is a non-profit corporation that operates the Fort Frances Lakers Junior ‘A’ hockey team. The Lakers are a community-owned and part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
For media inquiries, please contact:
Douglas W. Judson (he/him)
Director
Borderland Pride
Tara Allaire (she/her)
Media Relations Coordinator
Fort Frances Lakers
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