Pflugerville, a tight-knight community twenty minutes outside of Austin, joins a growing number of Central Texas suburbs throwing rainbow riots this June - a radical act in the conservative Lonestar State.Įarlier this year, Texas Gov. “I think that’s what we’re hoping to do ,” he says. Celebrating Pride in his tiny hometown of Laredo, Texas, would’ve given him courage and fostered a sense of belonging. He hopes Springfield Pride helps the youth of his community feel “seen, protected and supported.”įor Marc Garcia, president of Pflugerville Pride, the story is similar. Taurean, who grew up in Springfield and came out as gay at 33, says seeing Pride celebrations as a child might have given him the strength to confront his sexuality sooner. We’re dealing with the same issues whether the population is five million, or as in Springfield, under 200,000.” What does change is visibility. “It doesn’t change with the size of the city. “If I had it my way, Pride would be held in every city across America,” says Taurean Bethea, founder and CEO of the Springfield Pride Parade. For some residents, this will be their first opportunity to celebrate Pride. This June, these small American cities will enter the Pride pantheon by hosting an inaugural parade or festival. But they aren’t the only places where Pride 2022 is important.
Every year, these cities host the biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the US, attracting millions of spectators and dominating news coverage.
In June 1970, the world’s first Pride marches erupted in major American cities, led by brave queer communities who paved the way for today’s parades.