An initiative with the goal of uplifting LGBTQ+ voices and perspectives in climate action has finished their second of four events where the group removed invasive plants and planted around 100 native trees in Esquimalt Gorge Park on Thursday, April 10.
"Queering [Climate Action] is just to look at something through a queer lens and to challenge normative ideas. So within the context of this, it's challenging dominant narratives in environmentalism and power structures within environmental and climate work," said Clover Taylor, the events coordinator of Queering Climate Action, which is hosted by the Gorge Waterway Action Society.
Over the morning, volunteers cleared invasive blackberry bushes and planted trees before enjoying lunch and a free musical performance featuring local LGBTQ+ artists.
The first event – an art and climate action seminar – featured a mix of restoration talks and performances, including a chat with a Chilean drag queen about how climate change is affecting Chile, and performances from Gay for Nature, a local musical collective that makes music around LGBTQ+ identity and ecological stewardship.
"Queer people and all marginalized groups are more likely to feel the impacts of climate change, but they're still often left out of conversations surrounding climate change and what to do about climate change and climate action. And so we wanted to really integrate more voices into climate work, more marginalized voices and give people a chance to come and gather with their community in safe spaces and really learn from each other, build more networks, just get more people involved into climate work," said Taylor.
Another seminar will be held on Tuesday, May 13, and in celebration of Ocean Week, another restoration event – and the final Queering Climate Action event– will be held at Banfield Park on May 31.
