Opinion/Commentary

PRIDE-Letter from the President of Pride

Meghan Stabler, President of Pride Houston

by Meghan Stabler, President, Pride Houston

“Pride, NOT Prejudice” was selected by members of Houston’s LGBT community to be the theme of the 2010 Pride celebration, and it describes the feeling we all should carry with us each and every day—not just one day of the year. “Pride, NOT Prejudice” truly acknowledges the need for celebration following the election of Mayor Annise Parker, which showed the world that Houstonians can be proud of the accomplishments of their elected officials, and are not so prejudiced as to vote against someone because of their sexual orientation. By electing the first openly gay mayor of a major metropolitan city, Houston—and not San Francisco or New York—is the very definition of “Pride, NOT Prejudice.”

For over 30 years, Pride Houston has been at the heart of the local LGBT community to educate and celebrate the diversity within our city’s large population. Every year, Pride Houston works with local sponsors and volunteers to organize and produce a series of events that cater to and promote Houston’s ever-growing LGBT community. The Pride Festival and Pride Parade are attended by over 150,000 people every year, making it the second-largest parade in Houston and the largest gathering of LGBT individuals in the southern United States. Leading up to the LGBT Pride Parade/Festival, we celebrate with Pride Idol and Rock the Runway.

Pride Houston’s goal is to create the means by which LGBT persons can celebrate, commemorate, and educate our LGBT population. That is something that I take Pride in!

We have an incredible Pride Festival and Parade this year—with over 100 vendors and sponsors, live entertainment, parade floats, and marchers galore. I know I speak for everyone involved with Pride Houston when I extend a very sincere thank you to all of our volunteers, board members, sponsors, vendors, donors, and performers. I’d like to encourage each of you to not only attend the parade, but also to visit with all of our vendors and sponsors. It is their sponsorship that allows us to keep the festival admission free.

I invite all of you to come to the 2010 Houston LGBT Pride Celebration on June 26 and to renew your commitment to be your authentic self—to stand up and be proud! I’d also like to encourage you to learn more about the issues facing us and get involved—to speak up and be proud!

Each one of us should face Prejudice in the eye and say that we are Proud to be authentic. I know I am.

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Greg Jeu

Greg Jeu is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of OutSmart Magazine.

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