Rightfully Proud

Saturday, June 27, 1987
The Concert Hall

GCDC continued to be involved in Pride by organising dances that corresponded to Pride events, and on occasion by participating in the Pride parades. At Pride 1987 GCDC organisers spent $600 to have a float in the parade. GCDC volunteers who decorated and staffed the pride float earned shift credits just as they did at dances. As in previous years, the GCDC matched their dance to the annual Pride theme–Rightfully Proud. This dance had a net profit of $10,195.87 for distribution among participating groups.

In the late 1980s, Pride events were becoming larger–approximately 15,000 people attended the parade in 1987–and were beginning to attract the corporate sponsors that have become prevalent in contemporary Pride events. Beginning in 1985, every year Pride organisers requested an official proclamation of support from Mayor Art Eggleton, which he consistently refused to give. The first official proclamation was made in 1991 by the Toronto City Council.