The Royal Canadian Mint has released a coin commemorating the progress made on LGBTQ2+ rights over the last 50 years.

The coin was unveiled on April 23rd, 2019 marking 50 years since Canada took the first step towards decriminalizing homosexuality.

Airdrie Pride said the recognition is a great step in the right direction.

“Airdrie Pride is very happy to have the LGBTQ2S community recognized,” said Pride board member Tammy Plunkett. “It is also amazing that it’s been 50 years that we can actually legally exist.”

Parliament passed a series of amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada in 1969, leading to the decriminalization and becoming a landmark moment in the struggle towards equality for LGBTQ2+ people.

Plenty of work has been done since then.

• In 1992 a ban on homosexual individuals serving in the Canadian Armed Forces was lifted.
• In 1996 the Candain Human Rights Act was amended prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.
• In 2000 same-sex couples were given the same social and tax benefits as heterosexual couples.
• In 2005 gay marriage was legalized in Canada.
• In 2018 the federal government moved to expunge historically unjust convictions against LGBTQ2+ individuals.

Though much progress has been made, Plunkett said there is still more work to do in order for equality to truly exist for the community.

“There has been a lot that’s happened over the last 50 years, it wasn’t an on-off switch and then automatically everything was rosy and wonderful in 1969,” Plunkett explained.

Plunkett said the Airdrie Pride group would like to see federal legislation banning the practice of gay conversion where members of the LGBTQ+ community are forced into assuming heterosexual norms.

“We don’t have a federal law yet in place that bans conversion therapy, so that’s definitely a place where we can improve,” said Plunkett.

Despite work still needing to be done Plunkett said the milestones and changes to LGBTQ+ rights are a reason to celebrate how far we have come as a nation.

“It is a reason to celebrate, and it is absolutely amazing to recognize the milestones and to know that things have changed dramatically since 1969,” Plunkett stated. “Things are different today, and there’s definitely places we can improve.”