Thread by @Azure_Husky

So, let's talk about @PrideToronto / #PrideTO and how their new Terms & Conditions--made to supplement a new program for them to sell liquor & allow Pride attendees to carry it anywhere without the Pride grounds--are a betrayal of the LGBTQ+ communities. pridetoronto.com/wp/wp-content/…

At first blush, a skim of this 10 page document may make it seem like normal event T&C. But let's look at how this change by @PrideToronto destroys access to Pride for many of the more marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ communities.

A key issue with these new T&C is this phrase in the screenshot. The "Event" is defined to be the entire grounds of Pride (that is, the Festival Footprint); this includes marching grounds or anywhere else a @PrideToronto event is going on. Festival Footprint (together, referred to as the “Event”) "" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DfdSIq7XkAAuyiq.jpg">

Let's talk about some of the most egregious parts first. Upfront: Many of these policies only apply (at least nominally) to those who purchase a wristband in order to be able to drink at the Event. There are impacts outside this, and also: that limitation doesn't make this okay

So: Let's look at these ID regulations! Look at this list of acceptable IDs, which is a xenophobic nightmare (note foreign immigration documents are unacceptable!). You need this valid ID to get the @PrideToronto wristband, but there's a part above that's even worse --

--by buying and wearing the wristband, you are LEGALLY SUBMITTING TO A @PrideToronto STOP AND FRISK PROGRAM. Even if you don't have alcohol on, any staff member can demand to see your ID at any time while you're in the Event, and can eject you if not.

Hopefully even the @PrideToronto board, as troubled with racism issues as they have been in the past, are well aware of how stop-and-frisk policies are used to harass and oppress racialized members of communities. How on earth should we expect this one to be different?

Let's also add in the fact that this @PrideToronto an LGBTQ+ event, and trans communities in particular have members with identification that may misgender and misname them and may not resemble their current appearance at all. How is a stop-and-frisk program accepting of us?

Thus far there have been no answers from @PrideToronto regarding WHO will be enforcing these policies. Since the BLM protests at PrideTO 2016 forced the board's hand into reducing police involvement in Pride activities, is this going to be enforced by private security teams?

How does having a Pride event full of rent-a-cops checking people's IDs on a whim create a safe place for LGBTQ+ people, @PrideToronto ? Or is this policy going to just be arbitrarily enforced by staff members when they feel like it, and thus be subject to their biases?

Speaking of the BLM protests, let's address Section 3 of these Terms and Conditions!

That's right, @PrideToronto, an event based on *riots against police*, forbid everyone in the program from disturbing the peace or using disruptive behaviour!!

Under these regulations, anyone buying into the Drink on the Go program is giving up all rights to protest or disruptive political action at @PrideToronto. They also can't hand out flyers, so no community organizing or education efforts here! of Your events, then please visit the official Pride Toronto website for more
information."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DfdYPpNWAAApIgc.jpg">

Now let's get into the accessibility nightmare of the "Forbidden Objects" section of the T&C, Article 4. Some of the highlights in screenshots below. Let's talk about how @PrideToronto is betraying disabled LGBTQ+ community members with these T&C.

We've got: No over the counter meds that are unsealed, so anyone who needs OTC pain management, for instance, will need to buy a brand new bottle or suffer through @PrideToronto . Anyone whose prescription meds aren't in the usual container needs to let the Medical tent hold them

Also, @PrideToronto won't let people have WATER MISTERS during the Event if they're in this program. So good luck if you have trouble in the heat in mid-June. Also, no chairs because evidently people who need to be able to rest due to disability or impairment don't matter.

Also these T&C say no scooters with no provision for mobility scooters.
And then as the capstone, @PrideToronto also allows staff members (and whatever security they use) free reign to determine ANYTHING ELSE is a threat to safety or just to enjoyment of others.

There are absolutely no provisions here for accessibility devices. If security deems your cane a threat, that's it, the Terms & Conditions have spoken. If they consider your mobility device a "push cart" (also banned), tough luck, @PrideToronto doesn't want you

With these T&C, @PrideToronto has sent a strong message to physically disabled LGBTQ+ members--or those without disabilities who still have physical considerations like getting overheated--that they are not welcome at the Event, at least as part of this program.

One could argue that someone with said disabilities can just not enter the program & not drink alcohol. & discussions of Pride/alcohol intersections aside, here's the issue: @PrideToronto is effectively saying the most marginalized members of our communities aren't welcome.

Section 5 covers acceptable conduct.

If you were a fan of the strong overlap between LGBTQ+ communities and antifascist movements, sorry, @PrideToronto also won't let anyone cover their face, so anyone who masks up for political action can't do so here.

Oh, we also leave entirely to Event staff and undefined security forces determining whether one's signs or dress are obscene or "provocative." Somehow I'm guessing my planned march sign declaring "Fuck cops" would get me in trouble, eh, @PrideToronto ?

Section 5 repeats that there's no "disturbing the peace" at this political event based on riots against police.

Also, it adds the tidbit that anything they confiscate from you because they deem it unsafe, @PrideToronto gets to keep! Private asset forfeiture!

It's worth noting re: the obscene/provocative @PrideToronto dress restrictions above, that whenever any institution allows itself to restrict patrons based on clothing, those restrictions are nearly always used more strictly against PoC and economically marginalized members.

Article 9 states that @PrideToronto gets to make medical decisions for anyone wearing a wristband with no way for them to argue it or revoke consent. And if you get injured, damaged, or killed due to their care or lack thereof, the T&C declares them not-liable!

Article 10 is too long for me to screenshot well, especially in a way that Twitter's length for image captions will allow me to make accessible for those using screen readers. Long story short: it says that by wearing a wristband, you waive ALL rights to hold @PrideToronto liable

Note the fun language there that states that if you incur any financial damages, including to your event or business, EVEN IF @PRIDETORONTO WAS WARNED ABOUT THEM AND KNEW THE DAMAGES WOULD OCCUR, by buying a wristband, you waive ALL rights to hold them responsible.

Here's the last fun bit!! If you bought the wristband, you have *waived your right to a trial by jury* for any disputes arising regarding these @PrideToronto Terms & Conditions (according to the T&C--I'm not a lawyer but I'm 99% sure that can't be binding)

So there you go. In trying to make Terms and Conditions for their new money-making effort of letting people carry liquor throughout the event, @PrideToronto has enacted policies that are racist, ableist, xenophobic, classist, dangerous, and exploitative.

I am angry and betrayed. @PrideToronto is supposed to represent our LGBTQ+ communities, and they are instead throwing many of our most marginalized members under the bus in pursuit of an alcoholic party atmosphere and costly entry fees.

Toronto Pride has meant a lot to me. The 2016 @PrideToronto was my first ever Trans March, a mere 2 months before I started hormones. This year was going to be my first Dyke March.

But instead of @PrideToronto being a refuge for this queer in an increasingly terrifying political landscape, they have shown themselves to be at best entirely unaware of the needs and impacts of their policies on our most marginalized members.

I'm sure the @PrideToronto board had good intentions with this. They, too, are part of our communities and I'm sure they want our communities to do well. But these policies are rife with intensely problematic and DANGEROUS aspects that betray our community and the roots of Pride

Contact @PrideToronto. Tell them what you think of these new terms and conditions that they are enacting in order to charge people to drink on the event grounds. Tell them if you think it's worth it. Remind them what Pride means. Demand better.

Toronto pride has made a bunch of "oops we will take that out" revision comments in response to some Facebook outcry. I'll add them to the thread later but you can check now if you want. m.facebook.com/story.php?stor…

Changes and clarifications they've said they would make include:
-stop and frisk only applies to wristband holders, supposedly. To be fair to them this is largely required under Ontario law *if* we want Pride to have travel-drinking--which is a big if.

(note that they haven't responded to the question of "what if someone living in that area is, say, bringing liquor through the event area on the way home without a wristband". I'm not sure how any of these policies work if they can't enforce against ppl drinking w/o a wristband

- they have retracted the thing abt having to check prescription meds at Medical if they're not in original bottle.
- they say any government ID is okay.
- "We appreciate that the rules seem overcautious. This is the first time we are doing this and will review it all."

-specifically said hired security not authorized to search ppl without wristband
-said the policies are due to prevalence of unchecked drinking issues at previous Prides. I absolutely believe this and sympathize that this is an issue that needs addressing, even if this way sucks

-so far the only response to the bizarre trial by jury thing is "This pertains only to extent issues involving crowd control. This is in an extreme circumstance and involves keeping people safe in emergency situations involve crowd control."

Again. I sympathize with @PrideToronto. this is a huge event that some portions of our community have attached to heavy drinking and partying and they need to play ball with the city to get a permit. *and also* these rules have a lot of flaws that harm our marginalised members

I'm not calling for @pridetoronto to resign in shame or be martyred. I am saying that these processes need a lot of revision and increased transparency, or at *least* greater consultation with select accessibility experts who make sure they don't hurt our vulnerable members.

Update from @PrideToronto on their Facebook comments: "There will be no more police than we are legally required to have." that's somewhat reassuring, though I wonder if that means private security as well or not

Not a lot of updates on the Facebook comments. One drag performer who works at a place within the footprint expressed concern about carrying deodorant and aerosol supplies and asked for reassurance that performers for area events wouldn't be searched. @PrideToronto 's response:

If your reaction to that @PrideToronto reply is "wait, theyre just talking about Pride performers who will be working THEIR events and not the original question" you would be correct. no clarification has been given although requested.

Here's the bottom line with #PrideTO: @PrideToronto has repeatedly said that these draconian measures only apply to those with the drinking wristbands. So for those of us with privilege who still go, we have an obligation to hold the security forces to that.

Watch security closely. If you see anyone without a wristband getting questioned, searched, ID'd or anything of the sort, loudly intervene. remind them @PrideToronto has said there rules only apply to wristbands.

Remind them that with the liability waivers and the part about giving up trial by jury these T&C are illegal and not worth the paper they're written on

If they try to throw someone out, yell, cause a scene. They can take all of us or none of us.

Remember that while @PrideToronto has organized this that this event is also ours. Pride started as a riot. It is about standing up to injustice and not allowing police or other authorities to restrict us when we aren't harming others. Link arms. Don't be afraid to make a scene.

I've heard speculation from a few people (incl one on Facebook who claims to have met with @PrideToronto and warned them about these issues beforehand) that the T&C are a boilerplate from the security company that werent inspected well enough by Pride.

That doesn't make a huge difference at this point but seems reasonable and gives me hope that we can make @PrideToronto back down from these decisions and not make these mistakes again next year. but that will require a lot of voices and in person monitoring of security.

Facebook update: in response to someone quoting the section about waiving right to trial by jury and the (rightful) outcry of response, @PrideToronto responded in that discussion that that section will be removed. No answers about timeline or why it was included.

No new updates from @PrideToronto #PrideTO regarding these flawed and dangerous Terms & Conditions. A couple days ago on their Facebook they claimed they would be reviewing the policies at the end of each day. They've now stopped responding about the issue at all.

So, we have an update from @PrideToronto #PrideTO, quoting here. I'll put a link to the Facebook post of this in the next tweet in case you have a screenreader or otherwise can't read the screenshot

External Tweet loading...
If nothing shows, it may have been deleted
by @PrideToronto view original on Twitter

facebook.com/PrideToronto/p…

If this is the extent of it (buy wristband, get ID age check and bag checked, everyone trained in anti-O, lots of volunteers around to help with complaints/concerns) then I think this seems like maybe a decent way to handle the program?

I'll be real: there's a lot of faith lost for me in how poor communication was during this process. That said, having worked on a board for a much smaller org I know how boards tend to close ranks to try to reach a decision before Officially Responding so I'm not unsympathetic

I think there's a discussion to be had, still, about having a drink-anywhere policy given the rates of alcoholism and addiction in our communities. (I've also talked with a bunch of people who discussed their own antics in sneaking drinks in over the years, so *Helpless shrug*)

I appreciate @PrideToronto having a response, and that response seeming at first read-through to be aware of the concerns and somewhat responsive. When Pride is over, I'd appreciate a discussion of how this happened and why, but I know that a lot is going on for them currently

I won't know what to think of the policy proposed now until we see how it works in action and whether people are reporting harassment/oppression or other issues. There may be issues with it that I'm not seeing in my tired state, or that aren't being communicated.

I want to thank everyone who spoke up to @PrideToronto during this. I think this response wouldn't have come without a critical mass of voices (which is, again, something we will want to discuss in the coming year)

Personally, I'll likely be paying the $10 to become a PrideTO member in the coming year (pridetoronto.wildapricot.org ) to try to help influence them to move in a direction that improves the respect and safety given to our more marginalized members.

I don't know if that's the best call, but it feels like the right one to me. As with a lot of activism, a diversity of voices and tactics is important, and so I'm sure other people will take other paths and hopefully we can make a better, safer place for our communities.

I'll quickly add that the person responding to the Facebook comments on the update above is pretty clearly someone else who is investing a lot more in responding fully, thanking people for their concerns, and generally being more transparent, which makes me hopeful.

(On re-read, it may be that I'm mis-interpreting about the ID check being one-time. It sounds like ID can still be required of anyone in a wristband at any time, with a "Pride Toronto Harm Reduction Volunteer" overseeing each interaction with security.)

(So. My concerns about stop-and-frisk stand, even if it's well-supervised. I understand that this is probably the best we'll get this year--they're too committed to this course to pull the drinking program entirely--but I think it isn't worth the community cost.)

(I don't really know what else to say about this. It sucks & I'm trying to hold empathy for the people trying to make it better on their end while also feeling it's shitty as hell for our community & also I wish Pride wasn't a giant drinking fest to begin with *helpless shrug*)