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Gay Day in Canada’s Wonderland cancelled after gay couple told to ‘stop hugging’

By Fabio Crispim

Gay Day is an annual event that takes place at Canada’s Wonderland park to celebrate LGBT Pride.

But Gay Day’s been cancelled now.

LGBT advocacy group PFLAG Canada, who sponsors the event, has cancelled any future Gay Day’s after a park employee told a gay couple to “stop hugging” during last months event.

According to Gay Star News, Bev Belanger, the president of PFLAG Canada, has said it was disappointing they could no longer hold the event there.

Brandon Hamilton and partner Barrett Morrison went to the Wonderland park for the event but when they hugged while waiting in-line for the Lazy River ride a staff member approached them.

The staff member asked them to stop touching because it’s a “family park” and they should “monitor their behaviour”.

Belanger said, “After 8 years of holding our event, Gay Day, at Canada’s Wonderland, we are saddened to inform you that PFLAG Canada will no longer hold our event at the theme park.”

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“After an incident last month at our annual Gay Day, we have come to the decision that this year will be our last. Gay Day is meant to be a day for our LGBTQ family and friends to feel accepted and included.”

“PFLAG Canada is very disappointed and appalled that this couple were made to feel unwelcome and unsafe at our event on a day that was supposed to be a celebration of who they are.”

The park manager, Norm Pirtovshek, apologised to the couple but PFLAG claimed that they tried to contact him once more to offer diversity training but he apparently he replied.

Belanger adds, “We had been contemplating as we didn’t hear back from him. Our board discussed it and we came to a decision that if we didn’t hear back from him favourably we would not move forward with Gay Day.”

“We can’t offer a safe space, so how can we continue?”

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