Students travel to Pride

Rainbows were everywhere, as crowds of decorated people lined up on Church Street for the main event. On Sept 11. Spectrum Pride and Castleton University’s Gay-Straight Alliance took a trip to Burlington to go to the Annual Gay Pride event.

There were shouts and claps of excitement as the parade started. As the event name suggests, I felt an overwhelming amount of pride and inspiration as different companies, churches and organizations walked down and showed their support.

The same goes for Junior Emerson Spiese, Vice President of Spectrum Pride.

“Going to Pride is always a bit of a surreal experience. Being open about my sexuality and gender has always been a struggle. Even in accepting places like Vermont, it's easy to feel isolated and alone when you're coming to terms with yourself," Spiese said, "Being surrounded by people who are also queer, who understand what you're going through and can give advise or sympathize, is amazing. Being surrounded by that kind of positivity is inspiring and reassuring and validating and just awesome. There's no other word for it. Pride is awesome.”

The atmosphere of the parade and event was incredibly inspiring, as there was an overwhelming amount of support and love being passed around. Almost everyone attending the parade was dressed in rainbow colored clothing.

Along with wearing rainbows, people also wore other LGBTQ+ pride apparel, or flags as a capes. 

“I had a really good time at pride. I had never been to any pride event but it was so much fun and everyone was all dressed up and happy which was a fun atmosphere," Said senior Catherine Twing.

After the parade everyone went to Battery Park where there were sponsors handing out Pride gear,such as small rainbow flags, sunglasses, and Frisbees. There were vendors, selling Pride decoration and clothes.

There were activity booths, and information booths about gender, and the LGBTQ+ community. The main attraction was a drag queen show that went on continuously for hours, until the event was over in the afternoon.

Walking around the park and watching the show made me feel an immense amount of pride for not only myself, but the LGBTQ+ community and the allies that support them. The pride event felt like a family, and I look forward to going again next year.

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