Ahead of St. Pete Pride, outgoing board president says, 'Our community cannot and will not be silenced'

Hello, St. Pete!

Pride Season is upon us once again, and despite a hostile legislative climate, here we are, uniting to celebrate equality, dignity, and love. We do so on the shoulders of so many who have fought for freedom and justice before us.

In 2022, we celebrated our 20th anniversary with St. Pete's biggest Pride ever. Your Pride is now not only one of the ten largest in the country, but it's one of the most important. Florida is under an international spotlight, and showcasing the resilience and collective energy of St Pete Pride is more necessary than ever. Our Pride celebrations have always been hugely influential locally, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and new residents each year who are drawn to the city’s progressive values.

This year, our Pride will serve to show the world that our community cannot and will not be silenced nor forced back into closets.

This year, we celebrate while grappling with laws that aggressively target the LGBTQ+ community and with rhetoric that is recklessly endangering human lives for political ambition. The chilling effect of recent legislation has taken hold with alarming speed. We've lost corporate sponsorships from longtime supporters who are suddenly scared of the potential ramifications of supporting an organization like ours. And yet, we know that drag performers aren't what's threatening our kids and families. We know that trumped-up culture wars and fanning the flames of division are diversionary tactics designed to turn us against each other. Politicizing everything, including our existence, keeps We the People from solving real problems that truly affect us all. Are pronoun choices and gender-fluid kids really so menacing? No. Vilifying Trans people is just an easy (and dangerous, and morally repugnant) way to mobilize a base. Meanwhile, Trans youth are increasingly likely to be bullied or die from suicide.

On days like today, I lean on the wisdom of others to keep me optimistic and energized. When I take my kids to St. Pete Pier and see Janet Echelman's Bending Arc sculpture, I'm reminded of the words by Dr. Martin Luther King that inspired it: "We shall overcome, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." I find comfort in the assurance that progress doesn't always happen in a straight line, as we wish that it would, but with persistence and resilience, we will always push forward. In 2023, it’s more important than ever that the large umbrella that is St Pete Pride holds fast, and as long as we're demanding and working for a better future, we know we'll get there.

Because you can't stop progress, and you can't stop Pride.

As a parent and as a member of this organization, I feel responsible for the freedom, well-being, and safety of so many people. Your St Pete Pride Board and its enormous army of volunteers work their tails off to ensure that at least once a year, EVERYONE feels welcome, at home, and celebrated. It's a colossal task, but there's healing in the effort, and seeing hundreds of thousands of you come out smiling and celebrating makes the hours, the worry, and the stress worth it.

This is my last hurrah as Board President of St Pete Pride, and I’m deeply grateful for the experience and the friendships that have come from it. I’m humbled to have worked with such a passionate, motivated, and selfless team made up almost entirely of volunteers.

I know that a lot of us are frustrated, angry, and scared. It helps me, too, to remember this, from Coretta Scott King: "Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation." So keep your heads up, friends. Be proud. And keep fighting the good fight because backing down isn't an option.
Onwards and upwards, St. Pete. Let’s make this the happiest, most united Pride season this City has ever seen.

Tiffany Freisberg
Board President, St Pete Pride