LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's the 17th annual LexPride: Out and Loud festival, where thousands of people came out to support the LGBTQ+ community on Saturday evening.
After being inside Rupp Arena for the last two years, the festival was held in a new location along Oliver Lewis Way.
"I think if you can, if you know some people like I have in the past that bring you out into it and who might not be accepted yet. I think it can show you that there's a whole community waiting," explains one of the attendees, Maddeline.
Especially for Crystal, a transgender woman whose parents are the founders of Transparent Lex, one of the event vendors.
"My parents started this because they felt alone. Which I would feel isolated too not knowing what's going on. Especially with no information. As a parent," explains Crystal.
Crystal says her parents were supportive of her transition, but it's not that way for everyone.
"All you have to do is love them and listen to them and care because caring and love and acceptance and learning and listening is all you can do," Crystal's message to parents whose kids are going through transitions.
That's why events like these, filled with music, food, crafts, drag queens, kids, and resources, mean so much. "To show the community that there is people to support you and love that there is and hope that there is people for you. Just not being alone. There's so many resources here."
Jyre Richardson, the owner of 'From Here to There,' is another sponsor of the pride event who says that inclusivity is everything.
"Inclusivity is big for me. Equity you know especially the last few years has been turbulent times so I want to double down on all of the things that mean a lot to me," said Richardson. "Look around you, look at all of the people here. It's just a great time for everybody to come out and show some support, show some love to each other."
"I think especially after Covid it was kind of hard to mingle and like have interperson relationships and people to come out and show love and like support one another," explains an attendee, Kay Kay. "So I think even being part of the LGBTQ community, that 's important to support each other."
If you'd like to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community, you can contact local resources or visit pflag.com.
If you need to speak to someone, you can call the National LGBTQ hotline: 1-888-843-4564
