NEDERLAND - When I was growing up during the early years of the millennium, things were changing when it came to the acceptance of our LGBTQ+ community members. They were being represented in pop culture in a way they never had been before, glorifying their existence through song, movies, and shows, and even reality television.
Of course, the LGBTQ+ community had been present in pop culture long before, but now direct and explicit representation was going mainstream. Celebrities were coming out and they were being praised instead of excommunicated.
That being said, growing up in the South, things were a little behind the times. Despite there still being much resistance against the growing acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual, and queer people where I lived, I always had a strong belief that people should be their authentic selves and not hide any part of themselves, so long as they weren’t harming others.
I think this almost made me gravitate towards the LGBTQ+ community, as not only were these people unapologetically themselves but they were incredibly brave in my eyes.
Although now people think of Pride as a big celebration, it took some serious hardship and activism for it to have progressed to what it is now. The Stonewall Uprising was not the first time that police had raided a gay club or that the gay community had resisted, but it became the catalyst for a string of protests that led to the first Pride parade a year later.
At the time of these monumental protests in June of 1969, it was illegal to engage in gay behavior in public. Members of the LGBTQ+ community routinely faced housing and job discrimination as well as violence.
In June of 1970, the first Pride parade was organized by activists in the LGBTQ+ community and drew thousands of people from the gay community. With great courage, this community stepped out and took over the streets of New York City to “Say it loud, say it proud.”
Though the Stonewall Uprising and Pride parade weren’t the start of gay rights activism, they did propagate numerous monumental gay rights organizations, like the Gay Liberation Front, Human Rights Campaign, and GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
Since the first Pride parade in New York City in 1970, the movement and celebration spread quickly and is now celebrated nationwide every June.
It brings me such immense joy to see the LGBTQ+ community celebrated and loved for who they are. The strength and bravery throughout this community truly astounds me. I have seen first hand the damage it does to someone who feels they have to hide who they are from the world or even from their families.
I’ve also seen first-hand people being put down and discriminated against for being queer or trans. We’ve all heard the horrific news stories of violence and murder towards these targeted people. Despite it all, they stand up for their right to love who they love. That to me, will always be a beautiful thing.
We will never live in a world where LGBTQ+ communities don’t exist, and we will certainly never live in a world where this community doesn’t fight for their rights. I would absolutely hate to see that world, anyway. This community continues to rise up through fear and anger and fight for love.
It is so important right now for us to continue to support these targeted communities and give their voices power. The Pride movement laid down big moves for gay liberation, but under the current administration, the LGBTQ+ community, specifically trans people, are under renewed attack.
Whether you are queer, an ally, or just curious about what it’s all about, I hope one day, you experience Pride!
I would like to call on the community of Nederland to celebrate our LGBTQ+ friends in the mountain community. Nederland Pride 2026? Who’s with me?
Say it loud, say it proud. Happy Pride Month!
