Importance of Nashville Pride this year is both personal and political, parade crowd says
'It's just heartbreaking because I feel like we were making so many steps forward,' Scott Thomas, a nurse who works for a local HIV clinic, said in an interview. 'Our community has fought so hard for so many years. It doesn't just feel like we're taking a step back, it feels like we're falling down the hill.'
Thomas and others at the parade expressed dismay at some corporations pulling sponsorships for Nashville Pride this year amid political tension over support for the LGBTQ+ community. But Thomas felt that even more acutely because the clinic he works for opted not to have a booth at this year's festival at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park — unlike last year when Thomas volunteered to help at the clinic's booth.
In addition to controversy over sponsorship withdrawals this year, the city's Pride festival comes just a week after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender transition treatment for transgender minors. But many at the June 28 parade said these recent events that have caused LGBTQ+ people to feel under attack are exactly why people should show up at Nashville Pride and celebrate.
'All over everywhere, the community is under a lot of pressure and attack right now,' Maggie Ryan said in an interview. So, Ryan said, it's important to 'see so many people who are proud of who they are and sharing that with everyone here.'
Ryan, who is transgender, said this is her third time attending Nashville Pride. She was less comfortable at the previous events because she was in the middle of transitioning.
'I'm much more comfortable being myself now and feel safe here,' Ryan said.
One standout moment of the parade that moved many in the crowd to celebrate was Music City Prep Clinic's 'Pink Pony Club' themed float, a reference to the popular song by musician Chappel Roan. In addition to a bus that was booming Roan's hit song that has become an anthem for many in the LGBTQ+ community, Music City Prep Clinic marched a giant inflatable pink pony down Lower Broadway.
For Scott Hobbs, Nashville Pride this year was 'freeing' because he had recently come out as gay at age 54. Hobbs wore a shirt he designed that said, 'I just came out … now I need a hug.'
'People need to be seen and need to be heard. People's stories need to be told, and I think this is one way to do it,' Hobbs said in an interview.
Yet another significance to Nashville Pride this year was the recent 10-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in the case Obergefell v. Hodges. Tennessee residents were among the plaintiffs in the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage.
The court released its opinion the day before Nashville Pride in 2015, and it inspired Adam Yockey to attend Nashville Pride for the first time.
June 28 he was back.
'I felt I needed to be here to see the joy,' Yockey said in an interview. 'This is always a joyful and jubilant occasion, and that day was unbelievable because you're celebrating guaranteed freedoms.'
More: Corporations across the South quietly end Pride sponsorships
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Importance of Pride this year is personal and political, crowd says
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Book Review: A sudden blizzard strands a detective and murder suspects in a hunting lodge
Book Review - Hunter's Heart Ridge - 3x2 for APNews In 1965, as the Vietnam War escalates, a small group of wealthy, powerful men gather at a Vermont lodge to drink and hunt deer. Shortly after they arrive, one of their number, William Moulton, a supporter of the war and a former ambassador to West Germany, is found dead in the woods. State Trooper Franklin Warren, first introduced by author Sarah Stewart Taylor in 'Agony Hill,' (2024) is dispatched to investigate when 'Hunter's Heart Ridge' opens. The surviving members of the group speculate that Moulton died in a hunting accident or, perhaps, killed himself; but Warren promptly determines the man was murdered in a most unusual way. He was stabbed through the heart, and then someone fired a rifle shot through the stab wound as if trying to conceal the cause of death. The group, like the rest of the nation, had been hotly debating the wisdom and morality of the war. However, it soon becomes evident that most of them had a variety of additional reasons to dislike Moulton. As Warren proceeds with his investigation, it becomes evident that nearly everyone is lying to him about one thing or another, although it is not clear whether what each of them has to hide is related to the murder. Then a sudden, early season blizzard strikes, bringing down the telephone lines and stranding Warren with a house full of suspects, including members of the lodge service staff. 'It's like a movie, isn't it,' says one of the kitchen help. 'Or an Agatha Christie novel.' Yes, except that the story's pace sometimes drags. A subplot involving Franklin's friends Alice and Sylvie builds on characters who played a role in 'Agony Hill,' but it adds little to the main story and will be lost on those who have not read the previous novel. Nevertheless, the main plot is clever and suspenseful, and as usual in Taylor's novels (this is her tenth), the settings are vividly drawn and the characters — especially an excitable teenage girl named Jenny — are quirky and memorable. ___ Bruce DeSilva, winner of the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award, is the author of the Mulligan crime novels including 'The Dread Line.' ___ AP book reviews:
Geek Tyrant
7 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Liam Neeson Rips Into His STAR WARS Death Scene: 'Oh, Please. Hardly a Master Jedi' — GeekTyrant
Liam Neeson didn't hold back when recnetly critiquing his own Star Wars legacy. While promoting his upcoming comedy The Naked Gun , Neeson sat down with GQ to reflect on some of his most iconic roles, and when it came time to talk about Star Wars: The Phantom Menace , the actor criticized how his Jedi Master went out. During the video, Neeson looked back on playing Qui-Gon Jinn, and called out what he felt was a lackluster demise at the hands of Darth Maul. Neeson said: 'I'm supposed to be a master Jedi, you know. My character fell for that 'Oh! I'm going for your face! No I'm not. I'm going for your stomach.' [makes death noises] 'Oh, you got me!' Like, oh please. Hardly a master Jedi. But still, [making the film] was great.' To be fair, Qui-Gon's death has always sparked debate among fans. While Maul was undeniably a fearsome and highly trained Sith apprentice, Neeson makes a valid point. A Jedi Master who had easily dispatched battle droids throughout the film probably shouldn't have gone down so quickly. Especially when he was supposed to be one of the Order's most powerful and wise warriors, and crucially, the one meant to guide Anakin Skywalker's future. After The Phantom Menace , Neeson did return to the galaxy far, far away for a brief cameo as Qui-Gon's Force ghost in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi , and also lent his voice to the animated series Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi . His son, Micheál Richardson, even voiced a younger version of Qui-Gon in the show. But as far as doing anything more in the Star Wars universe, Neeson isn't feeling it. 'It's diluting it to me, and it's taken away the mystery and magic in a weird way.' He makes it pretty clear he's not eager to return again. The number of spinoffs and prequels might be chipping away at the specialness that made Star Wars so beloved in the first place. Sure, Maul was a beast in combat, trained by none other than Darth Sidious himself, and Qui-Gon had just come off an exhausting lightsaber duel earlier in the movie. But it still feels like his character deserved more of a legendary send-off. Unlike Obi-Wan's noble sacrifice in A New Hope , Qui-Gon was actively trying to survive and fulfill his purpose. He wasn't giving up — he was taken out. Maybe Neeson's criticism isn't just about his character's death being too easy, but more about how it undermined Qui-Gon's importance and capability. For a Jedi Master who was meant to be pivotal in Anakin's journey, getting stabbed after a simple feint feels like a weak exit. What do you think? Was Qui-Gon Jinn's death scene a letdown or a powerful turning point in the saga?
TechCrunch
7 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Amazon shuts down Wondery podcast studio, cuts 110 jobs
In Brief Amazon is shutting down its Wondery podcast studio, acquired in late 2020, and cutting 110 jobs as part of a broad reorganization of its audio business, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The company plans to move existing Wondery series under its Audible banner or to a new 'creator services' team, which will house personality-driven shows, such as Jason and Travis Kelce's podcast. 'The podcast landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years,' Steve Boom, Amazon's vice president of audio, Twitch, and games, wrote in a staff memo seen by Bloomberg. 'The rise of video has also blurred the lines on what it means to be a podcast creator.' The story notes that the changes indicate that Amazon's push into podcasts hasn't gone as planned. Despite securing big names in the business, the company is now shifting its strategy in an effort to better compete with rivals like Spotify and YouTube as the podcasting industry embraces video formats.
