PRIDE FESTIVAL RETURNS IN-PERSON AFTER TWO YEARS ONLOOKERS OF PRIDE PARADE MARCH ALONG TOM MCCALL WATERFRONT PARK ON JUNE 18. CAMDEN BENESH/PSU VANGUARD
PRIDE 2022 CELEBRATES COMMUNITY IN THE WAKE OF COVID PANDEMIC KAT LEON 53 years ago, police violently charged into the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, N.Y. In the face of constant discrimination, the LGBTQ+ community rose up and stood for their right to love whomever they wanted. The riots lasted for three days. “The uprising became a catalyst for an emerging gay rights movement as organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance were formed,” CNN Health stated. “A year after the Stonewall riots, the nation’s first Gay Pride marches were held.” As a result, almost every year Pride celebrations come to towns across the United States. The LGBTQ+ community uses Pride to commemorate the Stonewall riots and, as time has passed, create a safe space to celebrate the community and the things that unite us. As a 2022 Pride attendee, Vanessa— who asked not to be identified by full name—said, “I think it just brings people together.”
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Pride was especially important this year for several reasons, one being how unsafe it feels to be LGBTQ+ in the U.S. as of late. “Pride is important because there’s still so much violence against us, and the world can feel scary,” said 2022 Pride attendee Twi, who also asked not to be identified by their full name. “This is our time to feel united, alive and safe, if even only for a short time.” There has been a rise in hateful rhetoric and programming about LGBTQ+ individuals in conservative media, numerous hate crimes across the U.S. targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community and as reported by NBC, “more than 320 antiLGBTQ bills…introduced in state legislatures this year.” These things and more all contribute to an environment that is making the LGBTQ+ community feel unsafe. Because of this violence and discrimination, fostering a feeling of safety in our cities was essential to many participants.
“Pride was more important to me this year than previous years because I have been feeling very unsafe in recent years as a queer person,” Twi said. “Pride felt safer than most days because I knew I’d be around so many other queer folks. We’re safer in larger numbers than we ever will be alone.” Pride was also a momentous occasion this year because reclaiming a sense of community felt especially meaningful, given the pandemic’s impact on making many in the LGBTQ+ community feel isolated. Many Pride attendees reflected on their feelings as LGBTQ+ people during the pandemic. “I would say I was more depressed than anything,” said Nora, who also asked not to be identified by full name. “I stayed in a relationship longer because of feeling isolated.” Unfortunately, this feeling was far from a unique one. As Healthline Media reported, “A new study found that the COVID -19 pandemic has exacerbated already existing
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 29, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
