Shelburne raises Pride flag for the first time
Neville MacKay 'humbled' to help his home town celebrate
The Pride flag was raised over Shelburne, N.S., Thursday for the first time in the town’s 231-year history.
The town council was joined by Shelburne native Neville MacKay, the celebrated owner of My Mother’s Bloomers in Halifax. MacKay was born and raised in Middle Ohio, just outside of Shelburne.
MacKay said it had always been a supportive community for him, but others had different experiences.
"I'm proud but I'm more humbled," he said. "I think of all the people that have lost their lives, lost their homes, lost their families, lost their jobs. In some teeny way [I] represent them, and their spirits will be with me today."
He compared the rapidly changing attitudes toward people who are gay to changes in ideas about ethnicity.
"When I married David, I said to my mother 'What do you think dad would make of this.' Fifty years ago his oldest son married a black chick and 50 years later, his youngest son is marrying a dude. She laughed, and said, 'Isn’t this a wonderful world we live in, and a wonderful time?'"
MacKay called it an example of progress, not perfection. He hopes one day, being gay will be as noteworthy as being left-handed.