On Sunday, June 12, the LGBTQ+ community of Los Angeles gathered to celebrate a day of happiness and acceptance. I was lucky enough to experience this day with some of the best people — my roommates in LA and a few new friends. I am not from Los Angeles, or a town that is as liberal, so being able to see the parade was a different experience than the usual parades or festivals I've been to.
The night before the parade was the tragic mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando, Florida. Forty-nine lives were taken and countless others were injured and affected. We were still determined to go to Pride and have a great time, though we knew the mood of the parade would be different. It wasn't until the morning of the parade — the morning after the attack in Orlando — when word got out that someone was stopped by police, trying to enter the parade with guns and explosive weapons. We thought about avoiding the parade because we weren't sure what to expect anymore. What if another tragedy struck, just a day after Orlando's? How safe would it be? We decided to trust humanity and the LAPD that this would not happen, and we went on with or original plans.
This may have been the nicest parade I've been to. Now, I'm from a small town that throws a festival and parade for everything. Memorial Day, Homecoming, Halloween — I'm pretty sure there's one just to celebrate winter, too. But this parade was different. Besides the men in drag rocking six inch heels or the bright colors and countless celebrities representing the cause, this parade had a feeling. It was just love. Nothing was insanely over the top (to me, at least), there wasn't massive amounts of PDA or people hysterically drunk and crying (it's a festival, there's always someone drunk and sobbing). Everybody was just in a good mood. People were crying tears of only joy, making new friends and enjoying their time and their company.
One thing that almost brought me to tears were the parents and grandparents supporting their gay children and grandchildren.
These are photos from past pride events that show this kind of support.
Usually you hear stories or see pictures of people protesting LGBTQ+ parades. I was waiting to see a crowd of people shouting hateful words and expressing their opinions against the community, but instead we only encountered one man with a microphone, followed by five people holding signs warning against gays and what God would want. There was a gate separating them from the parade and police officers there to hold the peace. That was all. Six people total.
You can see some of the hateful signs in the back, but this woman's sign was a little more photogenic.
Along with those who attended the festival were businesses and celebrities with floats that came to support.
My favorite float, of course, was Disney's. They had music, dancers and so many Mickey ears.
Did I mention all of the puppies dressed up and walking? So. Many. Puppies.
The parade held a moment of silence for those in Orlando and everyone held those victims in their hearts. Many floats and supporters represented Orlando.
A few celebs also showed their support for the 49 lives and the families that were affected.
Making the decision to attend the parade was the right choice. Instead of fearing for what could have happened and staying back, we stood up with thousands of others to support this community. They aren't going down without a fight, and the amount of people that showed their acceptance was incredible. The 49 lives in Orlando did not go in vain. They were remembered and celebrated and will always be in our hearts.
If you ever get the chance to attend a pride parade, whether it's in California, New York, Ohio or any location near you, go. It's a great experience that reminds you what it's like to feel truly connected to a community, even if you don't consider yourself a part of it.
If you're looking for a festival to attend, check out this calendar of events. There's bound to be something in your city!
And if you're looking for an insider's point of view of this event and what it means to those in the LGBTQ+ community, check out this vlog.
