Capital City Pride gives participants hope for future

• Published July 11, 2008

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The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community has celebrated Pride every summer since the Stonewall riots of 1969. I wasn’t born yet, but as far as I understand, the police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on the night of June 28, 1969 was the last straw for the gay community.

Police routinely raided the Stonewall Inn and other bars with LGBT patrons. People in gay bars often were arrested or worse. During the raids, people faced brutality and arrest simply for being discovered. After the raids, many people lost their livelihoods and families because of discrimination.

All things considered, the night of June 28, 1969, was probably not much different than the night of any other raid, except that for some reason, people decided to fight back. Once word was on the street, a protest grew to involve several thousand people. LGBT people publicly joined together to fight homophobia. Every summer since Stonewall, the LGBT and allied community have joined together for Pride festivals.

During last month’s Capital City Pride, Olympia’s annual event, it was clear that even in one year, our festival and community had grown. The crowd was huge, with thousands of people participating. Attendees represented a broader spectrum of our community. People came from Portland, Seattle, Centralia and beyond to celebrate.

During the festival, I had a moment to reflect on all the reasons Pride is so important to me. The short list: Pride celebrations welcome all people; Pride serves as a reunion, acting as a reminder of our history as a community; and, Pride gives us a glimpse into the future.

As a community, we’ve come a long way since Stonewall. At Capital City Pride last month, I was excited to see so many people who were willing to come out, even if only for the day. In the weeks preceding Pride, many new businesses participated by welcoming LGBT and allied clientele with Pride advertisements displayed in their storefronts.

Capital City Pride and other events like it give me the opportunity to reflect on my identity and how I’ve gotten to where I am today. Of course this doesn’t hold true for all, but many of my LGBT friends who have attended a Pride event remember attendance at their first one with clarity. My first Pride was Lincoln, Neb., in 1996. A far cry from the celebratory atmosphere of the annual state fair, Lincoln Pride was almost exactly what you’d expect: very small. Weeks before attending Lincoln Pride, I knew no one like myself. It was wonderful to meet others like me, a feeling that is reconfirmed with every Pride event I attend.

As always, Capital City Pride gives me great hope for the future. This year’s Pride was in many ways just like any other parade and community event. The crowd diverse, including the young and old. Kids shrieked with glee as the parade headed down Capitol Way. Parade onlookers clapped and cheered. And, people in the parade and in the park were proud.

Seth Kirby of Olympia is a proud member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community. He is a member of the The Olympian’s Diversity Panel and can be reached at sethkirby@gmail.com.