Boise Pride 2012

They're here, they're queer, and I've never had a problem with it.

Ah yes Pride, the festival celebrating LBGT rights and acceptance. I never knew about Boise Pride about a month ago. I'd heard a few friends talking about working security and possibly having a booth set up (see more of those nice folks here) and I thought I'd head down to Ann Morrison park on June 16th and check it out. Upon arriving and stepping out of my vehicle around 12:30PM, I was immediately hit by the hot sun and a thumping bass. "Oh joy!" I thought, "It's hot, I'm two shirts, and I'll probably have a few beers. This is going to end well." In spite of my doubts I headed in through the main gates and into the sea of people that made up Pride.

Fun and diversity for all ages.

Pride's attendees were an interesting bunch, made up of any combination of sexes, genders (which I've learned is not quite the same thing as a person's "sex"), ethnic groups, age, height, weight, and hair color. Having reported on anime and furry conventions before I'm quite used to diverse crowds and enjoy seeing the melting pop of sub-cultures coming together to celebrate at different events. You see this is why I'm not a political reporter; I prefer the interesting people.

A church with open arms wins a lot more fans than one with closed ones, eh?

On the note of interesting people, there were a number of religious groups at the festival, too. The Nampa United Church of Christ, an "Open and Affirming Congregation" according to its website, turned up to show its support of the LGBT community. I heard reports of members of the LDS community also making the trip to show their support but I wasn't able to get in touch with them for confirmation. It's good to see different religious groups and factions accepting and loving those of different lifestyles, even if they do not happen to match their own.

Pride on display.

There was music throughout the day, including karaoke and lip-synced performances. I wasn't able to catch a great deal of them up close due to the huge sea of people surrounding the main stage. I was able to capture a few shots from a distance before retreating to a nearby tent for water and shade. One unfortunate part of the event was the heat, which I believe peaked somewhere in the high 80's/lower 90's. Despite the temperature, hundreds of people showed up, which was good to see.

Food trucks; the greatest gift to any large gathering of sweating people.

Worth mentioning are the vendors and businesses that show up to these kinds of outdoor events that make such hot conditions a bit more livable. There was the standard beer line which required tickets (which for the life of me I cannot figure out how that is more expedient than just taking my cash), peanut stands, hot dog vendors, and cotton candy booths. The event was also close enough to a local Subway restaurant, which I took advantage of and quenched my thirst before heading back out into the baking sunlight. I think it was about the time I left Subway and began the return trip to Ann Morrison that I realized I had contracted a cold. Lovely. Nevertheless, I pressed onward.

Tall, stilt-walkin' drag lady.

At some point after returning I managed to snag the picture above. If there's one thing to be said about drag queens, its that they definitely put some dedication and effort into their outfits. Oh yeah, and this one had stilts. Black clothing, big hair, and stilts in 90 degree weather... For possibly up to 9 and a half hours. You have my respect, madame.

A.L.P.H.A. offers free HIV testing at their local center.

One thing I was glad to see was A.L.P.H.A., who typically give out free HIV testing at the Goddess Festival as well. While the point of the event is to have a good time and enjoy yourself, its good to see the promotion of safe sex almost anywhere, really.

The giant Kiss FM ball looms ominously.

The atmosphere of Pride was light and fun, which is good considering its an event promoting acceptance and tolerance of alternative lifestyles. I saw quite a few youngsters running around and there was definitely a feeling that everyone was welcome. I didn't get a chance to speak with any of the organizers unfortunately, but I did hear that the budget for Pride is limited and donations are always appreciated to keep events such as Boise Pride running. A Paypal donation link can be found on their main website linked above.

Trinkets, bracelets, doilies, redheads!

As this was my first time at an LGBT pride event I really didn't know quite what to expect in terms of the heterosexual turnout, but I was pleased to see a great many of my fellow gay supporting heterosexuals made it out to support our non-hetero counterparts. Having the support of your own community is one thing, but having the support of outsiders is a huge benefit as well.

Being sexually responsible? Now there's a concept.

Again, while the event did promote understanding and acceptance of different lifestyles, it also promoted responsibility. I know, I know... Nobody wants to talk about being responsible when the atmosphere is so festive. However, I'm going to go out on a limb and say not having STD's and unwanted pregnancies is better than the alternative. Just some food for thought.

Even cats support LGBT rights!

Overall I found pride to be a fun event, although the weather was giving my already sick self a run for my money. In any case, I enjoyed myself and hope to cover the festival again next year while in (hopefully) better health. I'll also try to catch the parade, something that I unfortunately missed this year (getting up before noon on a Saturday can be a challenge). Until next year, stay here, stay queer (whatever you fancy), and be good.

If that doesn't qualify as what the kids these days call "fabulous" I don't know what does.

As always, the full photo album is available on my Facebook over here.