Know who really make me smile with joy and sometimes wipe away a happy year? The Quakers and the Mennonites! You mentioned the Quakers already, and I'm not surprised they were at that parade because I've seen Quakers at Pride parades since the 90s.

That makes me cry happy tears because I know those very traditionalist Christians are working hard to radically accept and radically love. They're practicing what they preach.

But the Mennonites!

You know, like the Amish lite? Who'da thunk they'd go out of their way to be LGBTQ-affirming? But they do! Especially in Canada. (Caveat, Mennonites are a diverse bunch. Some still hold very traditionalist views on gender and sex.)

I once knew this gay guy from Kitchener, Ont who was an honest to God, on-the-payroll Mennonite missionary "married" to a gay friend of mine. This was back before same-sex marriage was legal even in Canada. Anyway, not only did the Mennonite Church know he was in this relationship, they wanted him to be loud and proud about it, to live his life openly to let other gay people know they were accepted and loved by the Mennonite Church.

Blew. My. Mind.

Thanks for your story and lovely photos! Made for a beautiful Sunday morning read. :-)