Seattle Gay News Issue 26, Volume 41, June 28, 2013
On behalf of the Seattle Out & Proud (SO&P) Board of Directors and all of the volunteers who make our events happen, I am tremendously proud to welcome you to the 39th Anniversary of Seattle Pride. The parade, produced by Seattle Out & Proud, is the pinnacle event for our community, bringing together thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and their allies, families and friends, for an exciting day in downtown Seattle. Create Unity. Honor Diversity. Achieve Equal Human Rights. These three goals are our mission, a cause we champion here in the region – and, by undertaking this cause with excellence, the world. This mission guides us in our actions, and we sincerely hope that what you see, hear and feel at the parade inspires you to greater heights as you watch your sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, parents and friends march by you. This year is especially important, with the monumental achievements both here in our state and, of course, the nation. While as I write this it is undetermined what the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling will be, I hope that as leaders of this country they see the discrimination being upheld by the Defense of Marriage Act. I hope, for all of our community members, that they strike it down and allow marriage equality for all of the citizens in this country, not just a portion. The idea of marriage means something different for every person, and the fact that marriage is a reality in this great State – and very well may be a reality in this country – has made me pause. I grew up certain that it would never be possible for me to be a married gay man. Many people are never faced with the idea of not being able to marry the person they love. Now the dream of marrying is a reality and for those younger than us it can be something they can dream about as they grow up. I not only celebrate the outcome of November’s election but I also rejoice in the way our community came together, including our amazing allies, to make it happen. This is something we should all be very proud of. While enjoying the weekend’s festivities and partying it up, I hope we all can take a step back and look at why we really put on this celebration and march down Fourth Avenue. We have overcome many obstacles, but there is still a fight ahead to gain true equality! In closing, thank you to all of the board members; Jim, Jarod, Elayne, Long, Anne, Jeff, Adam, Eric, Megan and Elnora. Without you there would be no organization! A BIG thank-you to Marc for stepping up and taking over as the Parade Director, and more thanks to his amazing team. Of course, I can’t forget Karolina, our sponsorship coordinator. Thank you for your work and dedication to SO&P and the rest of our community.
Our very best, President, Seattle Out & Proud