There’s no denying it, Ohio is hostile to queer people right now.
There’s a suite of anti-trans legislation sweeping through the Statehouse, endangering the freedoms and rights of trans and queer Ohioans. The Columbus Division of Police has rolled out a highly performative and aggressive police presence in the Short North – just in time for Pride festivities. Companies previously happy to cash in on rainbow capitalism are caving to homophobia at the first sign of confrontation.
Like me, you might be second guessing if you even want to celebrate Pride this year. Maybe the current political and social climate has left you despondent. Or maybe you don’t like crowds and don’t want to watch Victoria’s Secret and AEP use the parade as a chance for free advertising. But I want to remind you we live in a time in history where recent generations of queer people have been wiped out by the HIV crisis, persecution, government indifference and violence. At this moment, you are alive. And that alone is worth celebrating.
Put on an outfit that makes you feel good. Put on a fabulous face of makeup or get a fresh haircut. And go to Pride. The most important thing we can do this month is to be visible, be ourselves and affirm the right of everyone in our community to do the same. Being yourself in public right now is a radical act.
At this moment, conservatives are trying to erase queer identity from as many spaces as they can: sports teams, the public education system, big box retailers. They are slowly taking spaces away from us in order to scare queer people into hiding. We can’t do that. Yes, take some extra precautions. Prepare for increased police presence. But don’t hide.
This year, embrace Pride as an opportunity to meet other queer people and to build connections. Take a stroll through Goodale Park, where you can find organizations, clubs and volunteer opportunities to help you feel more connected to your community in the months of isolation and persecution to come.
In a time when extremists want to make us feel isolated and alone, prove them wrong by building a robust knowledge of community resources, tending to friendships and sparking new relationships. When queer people gather, it's an opportunity to share what we have and to receive the support that we need. It’s an opportunity to brainstorm solutions and organize. It’s an opportunity to see and be seen, which is absolutely essential in this moment.
It’s Pride. Show it, and don’t let Ohio keep you down.
