Attending events and seeing people who look like oneself with many of the same shared experiences, contributes to building stronger, healthier LGBT communities and is an effective way to combat homophobia and stigma in the Black community and racism in the greater LGBT community along with overcoming the cultural, communal and institutional barriers created by isms and phobias. Rather than encouraging separation, Black Prides encourage awareness of self and community, respect, dignity and many attendees of Black Pride events have returned to their homes to come out to friends, family and their communities. The Pride Center of the Capital Region is excited to announce the return the Capital Regions largest event, the Capital PRIDE Parade and Festival and a rejuvenated Capital Pride 2022.
I can only hope those young people who discover that they are gay find another organization like Pride to cushion their ride.Black Pride is the gateway to the greater LGBT community experience for many Black LGBTQ+ people. It saddens me, of course, to see the very organization that, perhaps, saved my life is disbanding. Moreover, I found a partner with whom I have spent 35 wonderful years. Clearly that feeling of self hatred and loneliness melted away as I knew so many were there to help me adjust. If that were not enough we went to San Francisco Pride as well.
Not only was I not alone but hundreds of thousands were there just like I was. A pride parade is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) social and self acceptance, achievements, legal rights. I felt alone until I went to my first Gay Pride. I did so because I had felt singularly alone. I went to my first LGBT Pride around 35 years ago. Many years ago I did not know what to do or to whom to turn but I did know I was decidedly gay. I was very disappointed to hear the news broadcast today that an LGBT institution, Gay Pride, was closing its doers and disbanding. Recent changes to other June celebrated PRIDES across the country due to a small percentage of the communities loud complaints have further split and created a pushback especially between older lesbian and gay activists. This decision was made with a heavy heart, out of love and hope for a better future.” By making the decision to close down, we hope new leaders will emerge from the community to lead the Pride movement in Boston. We know many people care about Pride in Boston, and we encourage them to continue the work. There will be no further events or programming planned, and the board is taking steps to close down the organization. We have heard the concerns of the QTBIPOC community and others. It is clear to us that our community needs and wants change without the involvement of Boston Pride. We are grateful for all who have been involved in this process.
Over the past year, we have invested time and energy to address the concerns of the community, both with our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access work with Dorrington & Saunders and by forming the Transformation Advisory Committee comprised of members of the LGBTQIA+ community to help bring change to our organization. Over the past 50 years, Boston Pride has facilitated programs and events that have changed our society and promoted equality, but we know there is still work to be done. We strived to foster an environment of diversity and unity within our organization and the community.
The full statement from the Boston Pride board of directors:įor years, we have volunteered our time with Boston Pride because we care about and are passionate about the LGBTQIA+ community. Like other PRIDE celebrations across the country the group grappled for months with complaints of structural racism, and transphobia so much so it had hired consultants and formed an advisory committee to help facilitate that process. More than a year of increasingly contentious accusations of 'racism' and 'trans exclusion' against Boston Pride leadership by Local Queer BIPOC groups came to. Boston Pride released a statement late on Friday, July 9, 2021, announcing that effective immediately that Boston Pride is dissolving.