Canada’s new coins have an amazing pro-gay secret
One of the designs that could appear on Canada’s new coins conceals a subtle pro-equality message.
The country is currently holding a contest to pick the designs for new coinage, with special five cent, ten cent, 25 cent, one dollar and two dollar coins all set to be issued in 2017 to mark the country’s 150th birthday.
Following a number of public submissions, the Canadian Mint has announced the final shortlist for each of five categories, from each of which a design will be chosen.
It won’t be revealed which category corresponds to which coin until after the winners are picked.
However, one of the shortlisted candidates in the ‘our Character’ category hides a subtle pro-gay message in what at first appears to be a random pattern.
If you look closely, the coin, which is intended to represent “our shared values and diversity as a nation”, features not random squiggles but a number of abstract stick figure families – representing same-sex parents and opposite-sex parents.
Robert Beaupré from Saint-Lambert, Québec, who submitted the design, wrote: “With this design, I want to represent Canadian values: a mother, a father and their child; two mothers and their child; two fathers and their child, the acceptance and equality with respect to Canadian laws and values for the whole world.”
The design has to face off against the four others in the category, however, to appear on the actual currency.
The Canadian public are able to vote for their favourite – with voting closing on October 8.
The Mint said: “Celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary with pocket change designed by Canadians and chosen by you.
“Until October 9, vote as often as you like for your favourite coin design in each of our five categories.
“The more you vote and share your choices with your family and friends on Facebook and Twitter, the more you increase the chances of seeing your favourite designs on our 2017 coins.”
Canada introduced same-sex marriage back in 2005, and has been one of the world’s most progressive countries on LGBT rights.
