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Penticton RCMP are celebrating Pride Month along with the rest of the community, with 2SLGBTQ+ members of the force sharing their stories.
Cst. Dayne Lyons, media relations officer, is new to town after four years working on Vancouver Island.
To him, Pride Month means the ability for everyone to be their true and authentic self, without having to hide any aspects of their personality to fit in.
"In my personal life, I have experienced bullying first-hand because of who I am. By enduring – and persevering through – [through] this experience, I am able to bring a new level of compassion and empathy into my work life and to the people I serve each day," Lyons said.
"You can’t always pick the family or life you are born into, but you certainly can create one that you feel most happy in. Focus on yourself and work to surround yourself with people who love and support you."
He added that he hopes any child growing up who is interested in law enforcement knows there is a place for them.
"If even one young boy or young girl thinks to himself or herself that they could never be a police officer because they are gay, lesbian, or transgender; my hope is that by seeing articles like this with gay officers, they know that they can be and do anything they set their sights on!"
Cpl. Heather Bradshaw, watch commander with Penticton RCMP, and her partner Cst. Barrett agree.
Bradshaw says she has been a proud gay RCMP member for 16 years, and says her experience helps her to be better at her job.
"Having firsthand experience dealing with challenges because of my sexual orientation I can be better trusted to know how to handle some of these situations and can offer my experiences and advice to others who may be going through similar challenges," Bradshaw said.
"Not to say there hasn’t been any challenges along the way, but as time has gone by, understanding and acceptance has grown tremendously. I am a proud Mountie and a proud gay woman."
