LGBTQ Texans are getting back to Pride’s protest roots while standing alongside Black and brown people in their community, who are still fighting for equality on two fronts.
After only a few years of being open about his sexuality, Dom Johnson wanted this summer to be a blowout celebration. For Pride, he fully expected to be part of the rainbow-splattered crowd.
Johnson envisioned himself sitting on the grass with his friends, getting sunburned, going to his favorite gay bar and spending the day “being super gay and celebrating the fact that I’m super gay.”
Instead, he’ll sit at home with a rainbow flag pinned to his shirt and tune in to Dallas Pride’s virtual celebration on his laptop. The event, initially planned for the site of the State Fair of Texas, was moved online because of the new coronavirus, which has infected and hospitalized record-high numbers of Texans this month.
“This is a tragic and traumatic time, and I never want to be the person who tries to create silver linings out of nothing, but things are so dark that the only things I can do at this moment are celebrate the small victories,” Johnson said.
One of those victories, Johnson said, is that the festival will be more accessible to people who are differently abled and to those who may not feel safe or comfortable attending Pride in person.
