Lucy Reflects

An afternoon celebrating Lancaster pride fest.

While passing through Downtown Lancaster to have breakfast recently, we noticed a fair popping up on Queen Street. Later that day, Bea and I ventured out to see what all the excitement was about and I was sure I spotted food trucks, which was all the motivation I needed.

As we approached Binn’s Park, I was welcomed by a sea of rainbow flags, and I remembered it was Lancaster PA Pride Fest. Bea had no idea what was going on, all she knew was she HAD to have a tiny rainbow flag.

Let me tell you about the vibe of this festival. It had the greatest, most energetic and genuine feel. The love and acceptance along a few blocks downtown was exciting and contagious. We walked around and saw people draped in flags, representing different members of our LGBTQ community. There were amazing costumes, drag queens, elaborate decorations, outrageous make-up, live entertainment and an all-around loving spirit filling the streets. Everyone was smiling and care free and relished in the pride and celebration of this special day.

We sat under a tree for shade, watching a group hula hoop, who were gracious enough to let Bea join in on some hip swinging. As I watched, I noticed a small family sitting in front of us - a boy, about 12 years old, and his parents. I wondered if they found themselves at the celebration the way we did, by unintentionally stumbling upon it. Then I noticed the boy’s blue, pink and white flag and realized he was born a girl. I couldn’t help but recall being 12 myself, a preteen and making the big move into middle school. It’s an extremely tough age, looking for acceptance and wanting nothing more than to fit in with everyone else. As an adult, none of that matters to me, but it was the most important thing in the world so many years ago. Whatever I felt all that time ago, paled in comparison to this young boy. I didn’t have the courage to just be me, a girl in old clothes and dirt under her nails. And this youngster was faced with telling the world he was meant to be a boy rather than a girl. I felt a sense of empathy towards the boy but my heart was bursting as his parents sat with him, embracing and loving who he truly was and giving him every opportunity to celebrate it.

There were quite a few younger kids at Pride Fest, including middle and high school kids. What could it possibly be like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, struggling with who you truly are and the anxiety of having to tell your family and friends? Will they accept you? Will the rest of the world love you for who you are?

It didn’t take long before it occurred to me, that this one afternoon, our LGBTQ community could walk the blocks of Queen Street and be exactly who they are, without feeling judgement or stares. It was a community of amazing people who struggle with the reality of not being widely accepted in our society. Couples who otherwise were hesitant to show their affections for one another hugged, kissed and danced the afternoon away.

If we are perfectly honest with ourselves, the LGBTQ community isn’t wholly accepted in society. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. The protestors on the corner of the street with their threatening Bible verses and condemning words prove that. The hate crime at Pulse Nightclub in 2016, where 49 people were killed and 58 were wounded also proves that.

Our afternoon at Pride Fest proved to be more eye-opening to me than I anticipated. I’ve always supported the LGTBQ community. I’ve always tried to simply live by the Golden Rule, treat those the way you want to be treated. But this day was powerful to me. Whether Bea understood it or not, she was there, understanding what this big wide world is all about, and that’s embracing everyone, without judgement. Love one another. Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s that simple. We love to hear your feedback. Anyone attend Pride Fest? What are your thoughts on how we can be a more supportive to our LGBTQ community?