Messaging gets easier when you have something powerful to say. In the case of Pride, so much has been condensed into just one, short word. In a flash, I see the parade, the colors, the characters, but Pride also conjures emotion. All that from one word, and I haven’t even been to a Pride parade yet! But this is the year for me.
As a new consultant at 2A, I’ve been spending time exploring Capitol Hill where our office is located. With its rainbow crosswalks and establishments like Gay City, I was already aware Capitol Hill served as Seattle’s center for the LGTBQ community. But this month in particular, the neighborhood was bustling with Pride, which showed up in some very creative phrases—Plan your Pride, Dine with Pride, in Pride we Stride. After seeing Pride in storefronts, on chalkboards, and on banners on Broadway, I realized the power of this one word, and was impressed at how much it conveys.
The word “pride” has long been associated with the LGBTQ rights movement. On the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March on June 28, 1970 participants coalesced around the chant: “Say it clear, say it loud. Gay is good, gay is proud.” This first march commemorated the Stonewall Riots and was more somber than celebratory. It honored a historic night of resistance, when police raided the Stonewall Inn—a popular hangout for gay men, lesbians, drag queens and transgender people —and the patrons fought back.
Since that initial march, Pride has become both a platform and a party. The very act of being proud is simultaneously a show of support for the LGBTQ community and a cause for celebration. It’s this two-toned nature that makes Pride—and its simplified form as a rainbow—such a powerful message.
This weekend, I’ll finally see a Pride Parade in action! Seattle Pride, which hosts the parade and other Pride events, elevates issues by uniting and celebrating the LGBTQ community. Here’s to you, Pride.