by Justin A. Thompson
Pride means different things to different people. When I think about Pride every June, I
think about the Stonewall riots, I think about the sacrifices made by trans women of color such as Marsha P. Johnson, I think of the bravery of activists who defied law enforcement, their communities, and the norms of their day for advancement. In cities all over the United States and the world, it is not uncommon for grand parades, parties, drag shows, and displays of Pride.
However, in rural America, it is far from that. Growing up in a small town, I did not come out until college. I was already being picked on for being “weird” “geeky” and “awkward” I wasn’t about to add gay to the mix.
When I came out, I had a hard time finding others like me, mostly because the lack of gay nightlife, inclusion, acceptance, and geographics. I mean sure, the college had a gay/straight alliance. There were seven people. We tried to be visible, but in the end, it
turned into a social club.
The political climate was much different in 2003/2004 than 2023, it is truly remarkable how much progressive change we have made, but even more terrifying is the stigma, fear, and discrimination we are now facing. Living in a rural community, I have noticed that local governments have not acknowledged Pride, mostly refusing to engage the “culture” wars. Rural areas encompass most of our agriculture sectors, reflect “traditional” values, and have a different vibe from our urban areas. It is important to note the many hate groups, along with general homophobic/transphobic attitudes that linger in rural areas. The political make-up of these communities is mostly conservative, and people do not understand what “pride” means.
I have witnessed slivers of hope in my hometown, for the first time ever in the village of Herkimer, a Pride proclamation was read by Mayor Sherry, with a Pride flag raised inside village hall, and two pride flags being placed on our village signs. This might not seem like much to the casusal observer but in a rural setting,where dissent is fueled by Fox news soundbites, this means everything. It means visibility, being heard, respected, and local governments noticing we have a history.
We head to the city of Little Falls, where they just hosted their 3 rd annual Pride celebration with drag brunch drag shows, and a celebration in the park which draws thousands every year. The risks are many, especially in rural small towns, but the benefits outweigh the worries, all change takes time and maybe in ten years, pride will blossom into something bigger in our small areas. I want to echo the words of activist Marsha P. Johnson, she once said, “As long as my people don’t have their rights across America, there’s no reason for celebration” and my favorite quote “No Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us”.
Happy Pride
