An Apology to Wheelchair Borrowers at the 2025 QLM

We are writing this message to apologize to participants in this year’s Queer Liberation March who reserved or intended to borrow one of our rented wheelchairs. It was unacceptable that the march began before wheelchair users had made it to the front, and we want to name clearly that this was ableist. We acknowledge the pain, frustration, and exclusion this caused, and we take full responsibility for it. 

The failure to hold space at the front of the march for wheelchair users was due to a miscommunication among organizers. The delivery of the wheelchairs was significantly delayed by a car accident involving the van transporting them to St. Vincent’s Triangle Park. However, neither of these factors excuse the result. The impact is what matters, and the impact was exclusionary.

We are actively working to ensure this never happens again. We are reviewing and restructuring our communication and coordination processes, and we are already in conversation with organizers and community members to make these necessary changes. There is no pride without our disabled comrades, and we are committed to listening, and learning from this mistake, in a way that is meaningful and lasting.

We know that apologies are only the beginning. Our community deserves accountability, care, and action. We are listening, and we are committed to doing better, now and always.