Trans advocate Tru Wilson among 2017 Vancouver Pride parade marshals

The Vancouver Pride Society has announced the grand marshals of this year's parade.

Tru Wilson and the Wilson family are being recognized as marshals for their work in helping to change school policies. The Wilson family filed a human-rights complaint against Ladner's Sacred Heart School and the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese did not support her gender identity. As a result of their case, the school board became one of the first North American Catholic schools to create a gender expression policy in 2014.

Former Canadian National Team soccer player Carrie Serwetnyk was the first female inductee in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame. She is the founder of the Equal Play non-profit organization, which runs the Girls Leadership World Cup project. She also is in charge of the Free Kick Soccer League for youth.

A posthumous marshal will be Fraser Doke, who died at age 54 years in March. He was a longterm McLaren Housing Society program participant, a founding member of the Gay and Grey seniors group, a former Raise the Rates chair, and a board member of Positive Living BC and the Vancouver Pride Society. He also volunteered for Vancouver Pride, Surrey Pride, Celtic Festival, and the NDP. 

The Vancouver Pride parade will be held August 6 in Vancouver's West End.