In a unanimous council vote on May 14, the City of Vancouver has declared 2018 the Year of the Queer in honor of the anniversaries of 15 LGBTTQ Community Groups.  An official proclamation and launch event is set to take place on May 23.

2018 is a “particularly special year in the LGBTTQ community because it marks the anniversaries of 15 local arts, cultural, health and community organizations that do important work on behalf of Vancouver’s LGBTTQ community,” the report notes. These anniversaries include:

40th Anniversary of Vancouver Pride Society’s Pride Parade and Sunset Beach
Festival

40th Anniversary of Qmunity – BC’s Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirted Resource Centre

35th Anniversary of AIDS Vancouver

35th Anniversary of Little Sisters Books & Art Emporium

30th Anniversary of Out on Screen’s Vancouver Queer Film Festival

25th Anniversary of LEGIT – Canadian Immigration for Same Sex Partners

20th Anniversary of Pride in Art Festival

20th Anniversary of Rainbow Refugee Society

20th Anniversary of Monsoon – Asian Lesbians, Bisexuals and Trans in Vancouver

15th Anniversary of Vancouver Dyke March

10th Anniversary of The Queer Arts Festival

10th Anniversary of The Frank Theatre Company

10th Anniversary of Sher Vancouver

10th Anniversary of Zee Zee Theatre

10th Anniversary of Health Initiative for Men

Apparently a request for a Year of the Queer proclamation was sent in by representatives of Vancouver Pride, Frank Theatre, Out on Screen and Pride In Art.

The Georgia Straight writes how it all began when Stephanie Goodwin, executive director of Out on Screen, "was sitting in the Irish Heather with the heads of two other arts organizations: SD Holman of the Queer Arts Festival and Fay Nass of the Frank Theatre Company. The conversation turned to the groups’ anniversaries—the 30th for Out on Screen and the 10th for the two other groups. In a phone interview with the Georgia Straight, Goodwin recalled that she then blurted out: “It needs to be declared the year of the queer!”"

The event will be marked with the raising of the Pride and Trans Flag on the north lawn of City Hall, and include a panel discussion in the Council Chamber, as well as an outdoor event on the Helena Gutteridge Plaza. Click here for official event page

Check the What's On Queer BC Calendar Special Events dropdown for Year of the Queer celebrations.