A time for pride & celebration
After a few week’s absence, the “Out and About” LGBT section of the Winston-Salem Journal’s “Relish” weekly made a come back today. The main article was a great guest column by Chris Cannon, a former UNCG student and well-respected leader in the local LGBT community. He writes so often for “Relish” that it would seem they would just go ahead and make him the section’s regular columnist.
His column focuses on the usual Pride festivals and celebrations taking place during June. Here’s a peak:
June is a time to feel pride, reflect and celebrate
By Chris CannonJune is always gay pride month, and every pride month is marked by parades and celebrations in major cities throughout the nation - except in North Carolina, where the biggest pride parade, N.C. Pride, takes place in September, after the college students have returned from summer vacation.
But in other places, gays and lesbians fill the city streets to watch drag queens, shirtless men, beads, sequins and rainbows travel down the road. The bars are usually hopping with blasting dance music and drag shows. They are always great weekends to feel proud of who you are, celebrate a lot and let your hair down.
I remember the first gay pride event I ever attended. It was the summer of 1999 right here in North Carolina. I was in college at the time, and marched in the parade through downtown Greensboro with the UNCG gay and lesbian student association. I recently looked at a picture of the ma-rch with a friend of mine. I couldn’t believe how long my hair was then! I’ve never seen so many gay and out people in the Triad as I did that weekend.
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as the Editor of Q-Notes, the Carolinas' LGBT news source. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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