CELEBRATING PRIDE

June is LGBT Pride month.

Held this month each year to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, which were a transformative moment in the history of the LGBT movement in 1969, Pride celebrates the history and struggle for equality for LGBT people in America across the world. It celebrates that people are just people and that sexuality does not define the worth of a person.

“Pride is about being who you are and loving who you are. It's about celebrating diversity and each others differences,” says Chris Waters, a member of the Binghamton Pride Coalition, which is hosting a slew of events throughout the month of June, the biggest of which is the 11th annual Pride Palooza.

Pride Palooza will be held on Court Street in downtown Binghamton, from the roundabout to Collier Street on Saturday, June 13th. This is the third year it will be held on Court Street, and it will host a slew of events to celebrate Pride from 2-8pm, including three drag performances, music and events from McRay's DJ's; plus craft, food, and drink vendors (non-alcoholic). This is a family-friendly event, and there will be kid’s games as well as the Zoomobile from Ross Park Zoo. An ice cream truck will be on location, and there will be a groove presentation from Positive LifeForce.

“It's about getting the community to understand that we're just like everyone else,” says Chris. “There's no difference between us and other people because we're men who love men and women who love women. A lot of people who come to drag shows are straight.”

(In my experiences with drag kings and queens, I've found them to be among the nicest and sweetest people I've ever met. In fact, on one of the nights my revelries led me to Merlin's, when I found myself a little too inebriated, a beautiful drag queen took my hand and guided me to my friends.)

Other events being held throughout the day will include a performance by the Vestal Violators, as well as by performers from EPAC. There will be a raffle happening, with donation baskets supplied from local businesses. Chris was adamant in saying that “this is not a gay event, it's a community event. Of course we want gay people to come, and it's a safe space for them to express themselves. The city and the community have been very supportive of our events, and we've received very little push-back.” After the event, there will be an After Pride Party starting at 8pm at Merlin's Dance Club and Wine bar, with a Pride Ball starting at 10:30pm hosted by Viola, featuring another fabulous drag show.

Pride Month is important both culturally and historically. As we move towards a more equal and encompassing society, it's an important reminder that things have not always been this way. The Stonewall Riots were an intense and pivotal moment in the history of the LGBT movement. Police and protestors clashed outside the Stonewall, a gay bar in NYC (which, in 1969 could not legally be a gay bar because being gay was still illegal), and brought the movement for equal love to the forefront of the country.

Binghamton has been very accepting of its LGBT community, especially in the 11 years that the Binghamton Pride Coalition has been in existence, but we can always strive to do more. I remember arguing with friends and colleagues at former jobs in the Binghamton area about equal love. I've heard people casually throw around slurs, and struggled with my own sexuality for years because in the community I grew up in 'that' was not something we talked about. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that though I truly believe that Binghamton is an incredibly supportive place to be LGBT, we all need to learn to love each other for who we are, and coming out to Pride Palooza is a wonderful opportunity to engage with one of the most loving communities in the Binghamton area.

Other events happening throughout the month include the annual raising of the Pride flag outside of City Hall on June 6th, which will be followed by the True Colors Pride Bash at the Lost Dog Lounge at 9pm. There will be a number of different picnics and events throughout the Binghamton area, with special events happening at Merlin's, Tranquil, and other Binghamton venues. For more information, check out the event calendar at binghamtonpride.org.