Members and allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community came together to celebrate their strength and unity at the Phoenix Pride Festival this weekend.
The festival was held Saturday and Sunday, with music performances by artists such as American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis on Saturday, and Shiny Toy Guns on Sunday. The Pride Parade, a fashion show, live art auctions and other forms of entertainment were also part of the festival.
This was the 31st Annual Phoenix Pride Festival, and the 15th Annual Phoenix Pride parade. The parade’s theme was “Do Ask, Do Tell, Be Proud.”
“It’s been a difficult and tumultuous year dealing with anti-LGBTQ social and political forces both nationally and within our state’s borders,” Phoenix Pride executive director Brandi Sokolosky said.
Military service flags flew high as part of the Phoenix Pride float to honor the men and women who have served, who are currently serving and those who were discharged from the military under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“We salute you and hope that you will stand proud with Phoenix Pride as we celebrate who we are as individuals and as a unified community,” said Sokolosky.
The event is designed to bring the diverse LGBTQ and allied communities together for a weekend of camaraderie and celebration of their past, present and future.
“I came out a little over three years ago, and the level of comfort, acceptance and growth I have personally made really help me connect with the theme of Pride,” said Donald Smith, a 2009 parks and recreation management ASU alumnus. “I had the honor of being in the parade as an essay contest winner for the OUTday coming out story essay contest.”
Smith also shared his original poem, “Maple Syrup on the Side,” at the Phoenix Pride Festival on Saturday at the community stage.
“I am him and him is me, the breezy spring days felt to last an eternity,” Smith rehearsed. “Innocence was his name, I can still feel your breath. Warm as the cast iron skillet momma would tell me stay away from, but sweet as the banana pancakes she made from it. Mmm how your kisses will forever remind me of maple.”
Smith said the opportunity to stand on stage in front of the community and to have such a positive response from the audience made this an empowering experience.
“Where else in Arizona can leather daddies, drags, gays, lesbians and transgenders come together in an environment free of judgment and full of love? That’s what pride means to me,” Smith said.
Phoenix Pride celebrates and promotes the history, diversity and future prosperity of the metropolitan Phoenix LGBTQ community, while increasing public awareness of the LGBTQ community to eliminate homophobia, transphobia and discrimination.
“A lot needs to be done nationally, on the state level and on campus for the LGBTQ community,” chemistry freshman Casey Clowes said. “Until equal rights are given to all, work will always need to be done. I think the festival promotes both full inclusion and a place to celebrate a part of ourselves that often causes ridicule or acceptance.”
Clowes serves as part of the SpeakOUT awareness team and administration for the ASU LGBTQ Coalition, a student organization on campus that provides programming, resources and advocacy to the community.
Phoenix Pride values include accepting differences in all individuals without bias, recognizing the right of all individuals to mutual respect, and creating positive interaction through outreach and coalition building, according to their website.
Phoenix Pride also believes a denial of equality for anyone is a denial of equality for all, according to its website.
Members and allies of the LGBTQ community are often found showing pride in the rainbow flag.
According to the Phoenix Pride website, San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker first used the rainbow flag to symbolize gay pride and diversity, and the original was hand dyed.
The specific colors each have a meaning: hot pink represents sex, red represents life, orange represents healing, yellow represents sunlight, green represents nature, turquoise represents magic, blue represents serenity and violet represents spirit.
“No matter the paths we all travel or how and who we love, for this one hot weekend in mid-April, we can all come together and celebrate love, peace, unity and being out, being loud and being proud,” Smith said.
Donators, sponsors, volunteers and the Phoenix Pride board of directors also planned and participated in the 10 Days of Pride. From April 1 to April 17, Phoenix Pride held events on 10 different days, starting with the world premier of “Judas Kiss,” an independent gay film fostering awareness and understanding of LGBTQ issues, at the Phoenix Film Festival, and finishing with the national Day of Silence and the two-day festival and parade.
“Pride was the most amazing weekend I’ve had,” Clowes said. “I’ve never felt so comfortable in Arizona.”
Reach the reporter at kvanklom@asu.edu
