🌿 From Protest to Progress: How the Pride and Cannabis Movements Grew Together
When we celebrate Pride and cannabis culture today—with rainbow flags waving and dispensaries thriving—it’s easy to forget these freedoms were hard-won. Beneath the glitter and green lies a shared story of resilience, rebellion, and radical love. The LGBTQ+ community and cannabis advocates have long walked parallel paths, their struggles deeply intertwined.
Roots in Resistance
The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement rose in the wake of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, a turning point where queer communities pushed back against systemic oppression. Around the same time, cannabis was being demonized under harsh criminalization policies. But by the 1980s, these two marginalized groups would become unlikely but powerful allies.
The connection crystalized during the HIV/AIDS crisis. While governments dragged their heels and stigma silenced suffering, queer activists stepped up. One of the most notable figures was Dennis Peron, a gay man and Vietnam veteran who lost his partner to AIDS. In San Francisco, Peron helped pass Proposition P (1991) and later Proposition 215 (1996)—the first law in the U.S. allowing medical cannabis. His mission: alleviate suffering when the system wouldn’t.
Alongside him was “Brownie Mary” Rathbun, a straight ally and hospital volunteer who baked cannabis-infused brownies for AIDS patients, defying law enforcement and winning hearts.
Their grassroots work sparked a firestorm of reform that spread across borders—including into Canada.
📸 Image courtesy of the Museum of Sonoma County – explore more at museumsc.org/collections
Canadian Shifts: Compassion and Cannabis
Canada’s own path to cannabis reform was also shaped by compassion and courage. In 2001, the Canadian government legalized medical marijuana, largely in response to court rulings that upheld access as a human right. Many of the early medical users were people living with HIV/AIDS.
In Saskatchewan, the fight for both cannabis access and LGBTQ+ rights followed broader national movements but retained its local grit. Organizations like OUTSaskatoon played a huge role in pushing for queer visibility, while grassroots cannabis advocates fought to destigmatize medicinal and recreational use.
By 2018, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis. The shift from criminalization to normalization owes a debt to those who dared to defy outdated laws—and many of them were from the queer community.
🌈 Illustration by The Pot Shack
Solidarity Then, Solidarity Now
Cannabis and Pride still share more than just history—they share values: inclusivity, bodily autonomy, and the right to live authentically and well. Both cultures have flourished despite decades of judgment, fueled by chosen families and underground networks that became lifelines.
Today, spaces like The Pot Shack are part of that legacy. These aren’t just storefronts; they’re a celebration of how far we’ve come. The fact that someone can walk into a legal cannabis store in Saskatoon, feel welcome, safe, and seen? That’s the ripple effect of decades of intersectional activism.
The Pot Shack stands on the foundation built by the rebels, caretakers, and queers who made access and acceptance possible—whether they were passing joints or passing legislation.
🌈 Closing Note
This Pride Month, we honor not just love and identity, but also the courage to change laws, minds, and futures. Cannabis legalization didn’t happen in a vacuum—it bloomed alongside queer liberation, nourished by the same spirit of defiance and care. As we light up and raise flags this June, let’s remember the roots we share and the progress we’ve made together.
Here’s to solidarity, community, and the beautiful future we’re still building. 🌈💚
