Fort Dodge Pride event resonates | News, Sports, Jobs – Fort Dodge Messenger
-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Jeni Kadel, a trans woman running for Iowa House District 40, was the guest speaker at Saturday’s Fort Dodge Pride Festival.
Saturday was a day of celebration and joy for the LGBTQ community at the inaugural Fort Dodge Pride Festival on the City Square.
A few hundred people, both members of the LGBTQ community and allies, started the celebration with a Rainbow Walk down Central Avenue before coming back to the Square.
“I’m so thrilled this event has turned out so great so far,” said Kyrie Borsay, organizer of the event.
Jeni Kadel, the first trans woman to run for state-level office, was the guest speaker. She is running for Iowa House District 40 near Des Moines.
There were several vendors, LGBTQ organizations, games, crafts and entertainment all day.
-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Brielle Burns, 10 months, shares some giggles with her mom, Danielle Burns, and friend Haven Tague on Saturday morning at the Fort Dodge Pride Festival downtown.
For Haven Tague, of Fort Dodge, having a Pride event in her hometown means a lot.
“With Fort Dodge being such a small town, I didn’t feel like they’re very open to this,” she said. “Pride is where people can come together and celebrate whatever they are, so it’s nice to have support for that.”
Although Pride is certainly a celebration, it’s not necessarily just a party.
Shannon Sturgeon, of Webster City, wanted to remind people of that as they carried a sign reading “Pride is a protest, not a party” during the Rainbow Walk. Sturgeon uses they/them pronouns.
“What I’m afraid of is that in popular culture lately, people think that if gay marriage is legal, that means the fight’s over, that there’s nothing left to do and we can just celebrate,” Sturgeon said. “But we still have to fight. Did you know that conversion therapy is still legal? And up until very recently, Iowa was one of the very few states where Medicaid didn’t cover transgender health care?”
-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Shannon Sturgeon, of Webster City, carries a “Pride is a protest not a party” sign during the Fort Dodge Pride Festival Rainbow Walk on Saturday. They said there is still work to be done to reach true equality and inclusion for the LGBTQ community.
Sturgeon said they think it’s a very good thing that Fort Dodge now has a Pride event.
“That’s why I came in,” they said. “I do intend to spend money here later because I want to send the message that things like this will be supported by the community. I’ve heard people say they came from out of town, so if we continue this, we’ll get people from all over.”
Saturday’s Pride Fest was the first one Tara Hawks, of Fort Dodge, has ever attended. She said she liked the accessibility of the event.
“To have it in my hometown is amazing,” she said. “Not everyone can just pick up and drive to Des Moines Pride for the weekend.”
Sturgeon, Hawks and Tague all said that Saturday’s Pride event has brought greater visibility to the LGBTQ community in Fort Dodge.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Karen Barber, of Fort Dodge, and her canine Chewy march in support Saturday during the Fort Dodge Pride Festival parade along Central Avenue. Amora Devestation (David Brent) center, and Destiny Shakers (Destiney Boyd) marched along with several hundred others. Devestation is from Des Moines, Shakers is from Boone.
“When I was standing up there and watching everyone go by (for the Rainbow Walk), I had tears in my eyes,” Hawks said. “It’s really great to see this many people here.”
June is Pride Month — when lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and other members under the rainbow umbrella celebrate being able to live as their open, authentic selves without fear.
Borsay told The Messenger last week that she hopes to make the Fort Dodge Pride Festival an annual event and hopes that it will eventually become big enough that it can sustain a scholarship at Iowa Central Community College for students in the LGBTQ community.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
While his human, Sydney Allbee, of Fort Dodge is all smiles, Brair, the French bulldog seems less than impressed with his first place in dog costume at the Fort Dodge Pride Festival Saturday morning.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kyrie Borsay, of Fort Dodge, who organized the Fort Dodge Pride Festival, leads off the parade down Central Avenue Saturday morning.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The Fort Dodge Pride Festival Parade makes its way down Central Avenue Saturday morning. Several hundred people attended the event, including Owen Recker, of Fort Dodge, at left, who came to offer support.