If any of Vancouver’s Olympic visitors decide to seek refuge from homophobic persecution in their homeland, Pride House will be there to help. Each one of Pride House Vancouver’s 30 ambassadors – identifiable by their white, long-sleeved shirts – has been educated by members of the Rainbow Refugee Committee in the finer points of Canadian immigration law.
Already, ambassadors have fielded three inquiries: two about immigration and one about asylum.
Ambassadors are on hand all day every day at Vancouver Pride House, which is open from 10-7. Members of the Rainbow Refugee Committee and the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Task Force are there each day from 4-6. Volunteer interpreters are also standing by.
According to Pride House’s Jennifer Breakspear, every Olympics held in a Western nation has seen at least one athlete seek asylum. Will this be the year it’s an lgtb person?
Saturday at Whistler Pride HouseI have to say, if I was a straight person in Whistler, I’d be jealous of the gays. I can’t imagine a comfier, classier, friendlier place to be in town than Whistler Pride House.
So far, it hasn’t prompted legions of figure skaters to come out and party, but the gay event-goers, Olympic staff and visiting media sure seem to appreciate it.
Olympic security staffer, Cherokee Blood (yes, that's her real name) socializes with event-goers.
Pride House host Ken Coolen (in the red shirt) introduces guests to the "shot ski."
AfterEllen identifies out gay OlympiansAfterEllen.com has identified four out lesbian athletes competing in the current Winter Games. They are Dutch speed skater Ireen Wust, Norwegian cross-country skier Vibeke Skofterud, Canadian women’s hockey player Sarah Vaillancourt, and Swedish women’s hockey player Erika Holst. Read more about them here.
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