Pride celebrations in Maine may be different due to political climate
June is Pride Month, and while Pride events are usually joyful celebrations for the LGBTQ community, the political climate this year may make Pride events in the state different. “Pride normally feels like a big party, a celebration, lots of color,” Tanner Skilton, interim chair of Pride Portland, said. “This year we are going to celebrate pride, but we are remembering that the fight is not over for rights for people in our community.”From the beginning of this year, Maine has been embroiled in the national political conversation over transgender rights.In January, President Donald Trump and Gov. Janet Mills clashed over the rule allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. Since then, several investigations, threats of legal action, losses of federal funding, and numerous protests on both sides of the issue ensued.”I think there are a lot of mixed feelings this year with pride,” Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine, said. “The climate has dramatically shifted this year with the attacks on the trans community, specifically from some local officials here in Maine and the president of the United States, and so there are some mixed feelings about what pride should be this year and concerns about safety as well.”In an effort to uplift the state’s transgender community, the theme for Pride in Portland this year is “Maine Transcends.”“A lot of the programming that we’re doing and a lot of the work that we do in producing this large event is focused on our transgender and gender non-conforming community here in Portland,” Skilton said. “We’re really bringing it home to let the transgender and non-binary communities know that regardless of what’s happening politically in our country, we have their back.”The Pride Portland parade on June 21 begins in Monument Square and ends with a festival in Deering Oaks Park. The event is expected to draw thousands of people, and Drew believes even more will come out this year due to the political climate.“I definitely think the turnout is going to be increased this year and the energy is going to be increased, but it may be less joy,” she said. “I think people also are upset and angry about maybe the direction our country is going or our state potentially, so I think more people will probably show up to show their visibility and support for the LGBTQ community.”Skilton says he does not have any additional safety concerns compared to recent years, but they have been working with the city and police to make sure the event can be secure.”Regardless of what’s happening politically, we do not have new safety concerns for the parade, but we have taken safety and security very seriously,” he said. “Safety is our number one priority in our planning process…we want people to feel safe and feel empowered to come to Pride.”
June is Pride Month, and while Pride events are usually joyful celebrations for the LGBTQ community, the political climate this year may make Pride events in the state different.
“Pride normally feels like a big party, a celebration, lots of color,” Tanner Skilton, interim chair of Pride Portland, said. “This year we are going to celebrate pride, but we are remembering that the fight is not over for rights for people in our community.”
From the beginning of this year, Maine has been embroiled in the national political conversation over transgender rights.
In January, President Donald Trump and Gov. Janet Mills clashed over the rule allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. Since then, several investigations, threats of legal action, losses of federal funding, and numerous protests on both sides of the issue ensued.
“I think there are a lot of mixed feelings this year with pride,” Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine, said. “The climate has dramatically shifted this year with the attacks on the trans community, specifically from some local officials here in Maine and the president of the United States, and so there are some mixed feelings about what pride should be this year and concerns about safety as well.”
In an effort to uplift the state’s transgender community, the theme for Pride in Portland this year is “Maine Transcends.”
“A lot of the programming that we’re doing and a lot of the work that we do in producing this large event is focused on our transgender and gender non-conforming community here in Portland,” Skilton said. “We’re really bringing it home to let the transgender and non-binary communities know that regardless of what’s happening politically in our country, we have their back.”
The Pride Portland parade on June 21 begins in Monument Square and ends with a festival in Deering Oaks Park. The event is expected to draw thousands of people, and Drew believes even more will come out this year due to the political climate.
“I definitely think the turnout is going to be increased this year and the energy is going to be increased, but it may be less joy,” she said. “I think people also are upset and angry about maybe the direction our country is going or our state potentially, so I think more people will probably show up to show their visibility and support for the LGBTQ community.”
Skilton says he does not have any additional safety concerns compared to recent years, but they have been working with the city and police to make sure the event can be secure.
“Regardless of what’s happening politically, we do not have new safety concerns for the parade, but we have taken safety and security very seriously,” he said. “Safety is our number one priority in our planning process…we want people to feel safe and feel empowered to come to Pride.”