Sophie Smith-Dore is familiar with growing up in small town Ontario; she was raised in Port Hope, and left for life in the big city at her earliest opportunity.
With married life comes family, and with her spouse having an educational posting split between Ottawa and Pembroke campuses- Arnprior seemed like the logical centre point.
The women’s life coach conducts her home-based business from within the community.
Last year the couple’s twelve-year old son began having peer issues after initially coming out as gay.
At this point Sophie became more keenly aware of homophobic responses- often not generated out of hostility, but prompted by a lack of educational resources.
Sophie rose to the challenge, becoming the face of PFLAG in Arnprior and the spokesperson who approached Town Council an won permission for a PRIDE Week declaration and ceremony to raise the Rainbow Flag.
Smith-Dore was heartened when 150 community members attended the event. Here is our full conversation