2011 Parade Grand Marshals

Joan-E - Local Hero

Joan-E is the creation of entertainer Robert Kaiser. Joan-E began performing on Vancouver stages in 1990 and has held the titles of Imperial Crown Princess, Entertainer of the Year, and Empress XXVIII of Vancouver. Joan-E has hosted the Vancouver Pride parade for 12 years at Beach and Denman and entertains the masses with hilarious banter and humour. Joan-E is a contributor for V-rag, has written guest columns and been interviewed multiple times in local and international publications as well as numerous film and television appearances.

Activist extraordinaire, Joan-E's whose presence can be felt and seen at most any LGBTTQ event in our community. Joan-E hosted "Feather Boa Sundays" for over 15 years at Odyssey. She serves as hostess of "Gay Fridays" and continues to host "Bingo for Life" every Wednesday. She is also a regular MC and performer at a multitude of community events.

Joan-E has been honored with awards including "Citizen of the Year" in the GLBT Community, "Drag Queen of the Year" from WE magazine, a "Hero" award from Xtra West, The Community "Friend indeed Award," The 2010 Jose Honors Award, a U.S. State Congressional Award and the "Golden Jubilee Award of Merit" from Queen Elizabeth II. In September of 2009 Joan-E was inducted into Canada's Queer Hall of Fame.

Joan-E says, "In 1990, during the Gay Games, I attended my first Vancouver Pride Parade. Upon seeing the crowds, I was not alone. I learned, after watching PFLAG walk by, we have loving and supportive straight allies. Then, when I watched politicians, organizations and businesses' participate, I discovered that we had power. In 1990, I knew three people in Vancouver's LGBT community and stood anonymously amongst the crowds. All these years later, during another Gay Games and Vancouver Pride, I have the honour of being a Parade Grand Marshal. Today I know something else, there is a role, a place and a home for ANYONE who wishes to be a member of the family in this fabulous Vancouver community."

We are excited to celebrate Joan-E this Pride.

Bill Siksay - Role Model

Bill Siksay was the NDP Member of Parliament in Burnaby from 2004-2011. When elected, Siksay became the first openly gay non-incumbent man to be elected to Canada's House of Commons. All previous MPs to ‘come out' did so after their election.

In the NDP Shadow Cabinet, Siksay was the critic for Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy, and for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. In May 2005, Siksay introduced a bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. By June 2010, the private member's bill (C-389) had proceeded to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. It passed by a vote of 143-131 on December 8, and passed at third reading by a vote of 143-135. The bill is now in the Senate waiting for final approval into becoming law.

As a lifelong member of the United Church of Canada (UCC), Bill has been a very active layperson in church affairs. He served as a church representative on the Victoria University (at U of T) Board of Regents. Bill also served on the National Task Force on the Changing Roles of Women and Men in Church and Society. Bill has also been an activist with Affirm United, the organization of LGBTT UCC members. He was one of the first gay or lesbian people to come in the process toward ordination, and was a leader of the campaign that saw gay and lesbian church members secure the right to be considered for ordination in the UCC. Bill lives in Burnaby with his partner, a United Church minister.

Bob Tivey - Posthumous Pride Hero

Bob Tivey (1943 - 2011) was the co-founder and first executive director of AIDS Vancouver. He took on government and conservative elements in the early days of the AIDS epidemic addressing the fear and confusion at the time. He was unafraid to tackle the issue of AIDS at a time when the gay community was struggling with the realities of the disease.

He was eventually fired from AIDS Vancouver for wanting to take a stand on proposed provincial legislation that would have forced people with AIDS to be quarantined! He went on to form the Stop AIDS Project to focus on education about the risks of AIDS to high risk groups.

When the province proposed celibacy programs for BC high schools rather than promote condom use, Tivey vehemently opposed the idea and even fought to have safe-sex advertisements on television. Tivey and friends planted three cherry trees near the Georgia St. entrance to Stanley Park to commemorate three gay men who were among the first to die of AIDS in Vancouver.

Tivey died in his sleep on March 18, 2011 at the age of 68. We celebrate his work and compassion at a time when fear of the unknown ostracized our community.

Pat Rocco - International Hero

Pat Rocco has been an American LGBT activist for almost sixty years. He is also a singer, entertainer and filmmaker. As a filmmaker, Pat is known for his cutting edge gay soft porn videos first distributed underground. These films were soon featured in theatres, the first time such movies appeared in public. His gay films received wide acclaim from the Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Playboy, and numerous gay publications. He has excellent footage of early protests and pride events including the first Pride Festival in LA.

Pat quite movie-making and turned into full-time gay activism when it was still a very dangerous decision. Pat was the first president of Christopher Street West, the organization that puts on LA Pride and he worked with Harvey Milk on his first campaign. His politics were as groundbreaking as his films. He opened the first shelter for queer homeless youth in California, Hudson House, and was a founding member of the Stonewall Democratic Club.

At 77, Pat lives in Hawaii with his partner of 37 years. He's active in the chamber of commerce and the LGBT community to such an extent that his birthday has been proclaimed Pat Rocco Day in the State of Hawaii. Honoured for his volunteer work by more Governors, Senators, Mayor and Congresspersons than anyone else is Hawaii's history. Pat has been named an "Outstanding Older American."