this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2023
23 points (100.0% liked)
LGBTQ+
6187 readers
19 users here now
All forms of queer news and culture. Nonsectarian and non-exclusionary.
See also this community's sister subs Feminism, Neurodivergence, Disability, and POC
Beehaw currently maintains an LGBTQ+ resource wiki, which is up to date as of July 10, 2023.
This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Not so much a company, but the small town I grew up in had pride days. It was not a real big or fantastic affair, but it was fun, and lots of people were out in the pride gear that I would have never thought for a second would attend a pride event. Even the hillbilly term of "gays days" was tossed around insert the redneck with good intentions meme by older boomer guys as they waited for rainbow soft serve.
I left when I was twenty. Even before then, constantly trying to get away from the redneck small town. My childhood here was miserable as a poc and as someone who was/is as socially well adjusted as bum pickles. Racism, Phobias for each color of a skittle, and a very entitled population where being a hate filled asshole was all but encouraged.
BUT! 23 years later i find myself coming back. Only been back a couple months and it seems like a much friendlier place than i remember and the fact that this event was in the downtown, advertised and endorsed by all the local shops, left me speechless. This is not the same place I left, but replaced by a much more optimistic and caring community.
And as a jaded old dude, the town as a whole, recognizing and celebrating, well that was meaningful as hell to me, and I am sure many of the kids who had to stay deep closeted because of the town they lived in, so many years ago.