October 19, 2012

LGBT Ally is Youth Grand Marshal for Pride Parade in Tucson, AZ

This blog post is written by Carly, a GLSEN Student Ambassador from Sahuarita, AZ.

Last Saturday, I had the honor of serving as Youth Grand Marshal for my local pride parade. The theme this year was ‘Pride Links Us Together,’ and the event was a beautiful reminder that the LGBT/allied communities are themselves diverse groups that are made up of people from all different walks of life. Not only that, but taking part in the festivities also reminded me that pride is an important link to the history of the LGBT community. It wasn’t too long ago that LGBT people marched through the streets for the very first time during the Stonewall Riots, in response to discrimination that was so widespread that almost no one could afford to be out of the closet.

Fast forward only 43 years, and I’m at an event where LGBT people can openly celebrate their community. Now, although society is still nowhere close to as accepting as it should be, many are safely out and proud of who they are, and have the rainbow flags to prove it. Seeing this made me—well—proud. Proud to be an ally to such an extraordinary community that has held its head up high throughout decades and decades of discrimination, degradation, and stigmatization. And proud to be an ally to a community that has fought and still is fighting hard for their rights, and making progress every day.

   

About Elizabeth Free

       

Elizabeth Free is the communications manager at GLSEN--the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. Elizabeth joined GLSEN in 2009 to make schools safer for all students and says one of the best parts of her job is working with GLSEN's Student Ambassadors. She is originally from Texas and has a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Houston.