Pride in the District
Washington, D.C.
07-10 June 2018
Pride 2018
07-10 June 2018
Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. celebrated Pride over four days this June. An Array of events were planned to help celebrate the LGBTQ+ community inclduing a gala, club party, brunch, block party, parade, festival, and lots of live music and big concert to top it all off! Hilton was the National Presenting Sponser of Pride in the Capital this year and dozens of other corporations advocated for then event as well.
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"We are constantly challenged to celebrate and appreciate what makes each of us unique, while at the same time we are called to recognize that our common elements bind us together, each to the other. Thus, collectively through Pride we are able to create a powerful foundation that will help us advance the cause of human dignity, equal rights, and a world free from discrimination and prejudice." -capitalpride.org
History of Pride
What is Pride All About?
The first gay pride parade in history was on June 28, 1970 in New York City's Central Park. The event was held on the 1-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The following year marches were held in Boston, Dallas, Milwaukee, London, Paris, West Berlin and Stockholm. Every year since, more and more cities and towns have chosen to participate in Pride and it has evolved from protest to a celebration. The month of June was chosen as Gay Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots and thus many gay pride events are held throughout the month of June. Today, Pride is about spreading love, acceptance and equality to all.
& counting Corporations supporting LGBT rights
379
Corps Spreading Love
Within the past several years particularly, many corporations have publicly shown their support to the LGBTQ+ community. Many corporations participate in Pride Parades and help create/manage events surrounding the celebration. They also show support within their policies which vary but can include non-discriminatory work environments and zero tolerance for LGBTQ+ bullying.
There are 379 corporations and companies worldwide spreading the love, here's a few of them:
Our Insights
I was raised by two Irish Catholic parents and attended private Catholic schools from the moment I began my education until the day I received my high school diploma. Though the values I was taught were centered around love, the issue of homosexuality was always a hush-hush topic in my family and in my community. Therefore, I was not exposed to issues involving LGBTQ+ rights. Though we were never taught to hate anybody for their religion, race, creed or orientations, I wouldn't say anybody in my circles were particularly sensitive to issues involving the gay community. I would often hear my friends say things like "I don't mind gay people when they mind their own business, but why do they have to be so in my face about it?" or "why do they have to be so flamboyant?" and for the longest time, I struggled with this question.
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After attending a liberal arts school for four years, one that particularly stressed understanding the broader global community that we all live in, I feel I have gained a heightened sense of empathy that I previously lacked. This new understanding has helped me answer some of the questions I’ve been wrestling with. I’ve never really had a particular opinion on gay people, really I’ve always been a "live and let live" type of person. But my education has certainly helped me see the world in a completely different light, and without that lens, I don't think I would have experienced the Capital Pride Festival the way I did on Sunday.
If I had to describe the weekend I experienced in one word it would be freedom. We spoke to and met so many colorful and happy people who exuded nothing but pure joy just at the fact that they could be themselves and it FINALLY hit me. Now I know why "they have to be so flamboyant." Most of these people have been told that they are wrong their entire lives, that, what they feel so deeply that they are, is wrong. Many of them have been bottling up their true selves for so long that when they finally get the opportunity to truly be who they are their inner soul BURSTS out in a radiant explosion of expression and frankly I can’t blame them. If I had to hide myself from the world for that long... I'd want to burst out too.
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- Rob
I had never attended Pride before. I expected to see a lot of color, smiles, wild personalities and maybe even some protestors. I did see most of those things I expected, but what I didn’t expect was what I was going to feel at Pride. I am a white, straight female from a nice town with a great, intact family. My life has not presented me with many hardships or hurdles to overcome and I slightly expected to feel like an outsider looking in at Pride. Thankfully, I was exceedingly wrong. The love, acceptance, celebration and pure happiness exuding from everyone at Pride was overwhelming for a split second, then immediately was one of the most amazing atmospheres I have experienced. No one judges what others are wearing or doing; it’s a feeling of freedom from the strict confinements of mainstream society and it’s so incredibly important.
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Honestly, we should all live like that every day, but that is a big leap away from where society and the world is right now. However, these events and attitudes are steps in the right direction and living life in that way is gaining momentum. Finding reasons to be happy for who you are and what you stand for is one of the most important and difficult things to do in life. Being at Pride felt like if the concept of self-love came to life, gave everyone a huge hug and told them to pass it on.
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Whatever background you come from be it one of adversity, one of ignorance, one of ostracization, or even one of minimal struggle, everyone is welcome at Pride to come together and just enjoy life in whatever way you live it. Big changes are occurring for the LGBTQ+ community. Their hopes and goals to spread love, acceptance and equality are just as important as it is for all of us allies to show we are willing to demand that love, acceptance and equality for them too.
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-Hannah
