On Sunday, June 30, Seattle Pride hosted its 39th annual Pride Parade. The parade began at 11 a.m. along 4th Avenue between Union Street and Denny Way and lasted two and a half hours. Bellevue College’s LGBTQ Resource Center brought a group of students to the parade to celebrate their individuality.
The LGBTQ Resource Center spent most of May preparing for Pride, making costumes and decorating T-shirts.
The parade was more than just that; it was a celebration. It was a place for people to come together without fear of being judged. Scott Crawford, last year’s Pride Idol, performed on the main stage for entertainment. With the recent Supreme Court ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act, morale at the parade was high.
“We celebrate Pride because we want to show the world that there is another reality,” said an attendee known only as Mr. Sterling in a Seattle Gay Scene Guide to Pride. “There is a safe place for everyone. It’s easy to take Pride for granted when you’re already ‘out,’ but for those kids out there who need to know, I’m happy to march down the street and hope they’ll see us, in all our magnificent, weirdo glory, and escape whatever hell is keeping them from being themselves.”
The Seattle Police Department and Seattle Out and Proud personnel were on hand to ensure the safety of all participants.