The call has been put out to all two-spirited, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans, queer and allies for the second annual Morley Pride event this August.
“I’ve had a lot of people ask me when I’d be hosting another one - I wanted to have something two-spirited people can look forward to and give them a chance to come out and have fun,” said Argintina Hailey, stage name of the former Morley resident who organized and performed at the inaugural pride event last summer. “This year there will be a whole set dedicated to people from the community.”
With six to eight spots open for the August event, Hailey is looking for Stoney Nakoda residents to jump on stage and showcase their talents including but not limited to drag performance, singing and dancing. Hailey, who served as the Calgary and area gay ambassador in her role as Imperial Sovereign Majesty Empress in 2000, will assist participants.
“I want to help give people confidence and feel comfortable,” she explained.
Last year’s inaugural event at the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino was introduced as a pilot to “test the waters” and after the “tremendous success” the Tina Turner impersonator is excited to welcome back two-spirited people and allies from the Nation and surrounding communities.
For those who don’t know, historically the term “two-spirit” was used to refer to a person who embodies both masculine and feminine spirit, but in the early ‘90s an activist developed the term to broadly reference First Nations people in the lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.
Hailey explained that two-spirited people used to be considered very respected individuals before the “way of thinking changed.” According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, by the early 19th century fewer accounts of two-spirits were recorded due to the colonization of aboriginal people.
“Christian missions and instruments of cultural assimilation, including the residential school system, had served to silence two-spirit traditions in some aboriginal communities,” the encyclopedia stated.
Fast-forward 150 years and the former Miss Gay Calgary still gets a humble smile as the two-spirited Queen talks about the success of the first event and how “the way of thinking” is starting to change.
“Now, we can be proud to be two-spirited and not worry about the whispers amongst each other,” Hailey said after the last cabaret. “I had a lot of the younger generation, people in their teens and 20s, come up and say thank you. I also had the older generation say, thank you and, excuse the pun, we never had the balls or courage to come out before.’”
With ticket sales open for the second annual Morley Pride, the event is featuring performers from Morley (to be announced), Vancouver’s “two-spirit sensation” Jaylene Tyme, along with Argintina Hailey, Calgary performers Visa De-Klein, Shauna Star and Farrah Moan and Banff/Canmore performers Chi Chi Stevens and Miss Ellen Q and The Pumas. The evening will sport a retro theme. Contact Hailey on her official Facebook page at “Argintina Hailey.”
