On the weekend, on May 17, the world celebrated IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, “a global moment of solidarity and visibility for [2SLGBTQIA+] individuals and communities.”
We know that over its 50-year history, the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women has included many members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We also know that because of homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia, not all Council members or staff who belonged to this community felt free to live their identity and live their truth in public in the PEI community at the time they served with the Council. (Happily, we acknowledge that some felt able to come out as 2SLGBTQIA+ later in their lives, after their time with us, as solidarity and visibility, advocacy and allyship increased the scope of people’s rights and made space for more ways of being in the world.)
In fact, it took until January 2013, 38 years into the Council’s history, before government appointed an out lesbian woman to the Council for the first time! Mari Basiletti was the first woman to come to the Council table and feel free to speak openly about her woman partner and their family. And in 2016, Mari became the first out lesbian Chairperson of Council, serving her term until 2018.
Mari Basiletti and JoDee Samuelson in the Council office in 2022
Council staff who identified with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community during their time working here include Ellen Reynolds, Heidi Rankin, Caroline Galloway, and Michelle Jay. Michelle says, “It’s hard to fathom the fear and exclusion and hatred against queer folks that was so accepted until quite recently, but elder Islanders remember the struggle. And in the current Canadian and international political sphere we are very aware of the increasing regression in attitudes and policies that is threatening our hard-fought rights. We need to remain committed to maintaining 2SLGBTQIA+ equality and recognizing the inherent right of every person to love who they love, to be who they are, and to contribute their authentic selves to the world.”
Michelle Jay 2024
Caroline Galloway 2025
Heidi Rankin 2004
Ellen Reynolds 2000
It was Michelle’s leadership that brought together feminist and gender-equality organizations to have a formal, collaborative presence in the annual PRIDE parade for the first time in 2018 and each year since.
Feminist Pride participants in the 2018 Charlottetown Pride Parade – Eileen Conboy, Michelle Jay, Debbie Langston, Ellie Langston
