Buffalo’s Pride Parade yesterday was quite a celebration of love, inclusion, and hope! Horizon is a huge supporter of the LQBTQ+ community and our culture is one of diversity and inclusion. (We even have a Diversity and Inclusion Committee.) Horizon was one of 150 groups and over 25 local companies represented in this years’ parade. Our employees worked hard at designing and building a vibrant float! Check out some of our team’s photos from the event.
What is Pride?
Pride is the celebration of non-heteronormative sexual and gender identities and expressions, which is more commonly called the LGBTQ+ community. The first pride events in Buffalo go back as far as 1988 with the first parade taking place in 1993. The month of June was chosen for LGBT Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. Pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world pride and to celebrate the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward this community.
Understanding LGBTQ+
The letters LGBTQ+ refer to a group of individuals that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer. The term Queer can be used an umbrella term and may be used to represent anything outside of the dominant narrative. Recently, a plus sign “+” was added to account for many additional identifications in the community, including transsexual, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and gender queer.
How can you get involved?
In addition to the events in June, there are many ways to celebrate and support pride and the local LGBTQ+ community. Look to get involved or support local LGBTQ+ groups and youth centers. Get out and support local LGBTQ+ owned or operated businesses. Keep an eye out for your workplace’s policies, such as restroom gender options, and help view your workplace through the queer lens to spot inequalities. Move beyond the basic marriage argument and learn about other issues that affect the community such as increased rate of homelessness for LGBTQ+ teens and higher risk of substance use and mental health disorders. Find and watch movies or read books that positively portray LGBTQ+ characters. And, as simple as it sounds, find time to engage in conversations, write to your local senators, and vote!
For a full list of Pride events in Buffalo, visit: https://buffaloprideweek.com/