Pride is (Still) a Protest
Rainbows. Parades. Music. Love.
Pride and Pride Month evokes images of all of these. Pride is, after all, a celebration of love and acceptance.
It is hard to fathom that just a few short years ago, if you had stopped a random person on the street and asked them what Stonewall is, odds were good they would not have an answer. Now the story of that first night in 1969 New York is commonplace. A reminder that no one should have to live in the shadows and endure oppression.
Pride is not just a celebration, but a call to action. A call Peorians have answered many times.
Some might be too young to remember, but in the late 1970s, a former beauty queen and Florida orange juice spokeswoman named Anita Bryant rose to prominence. At this point in time, she was on a conservative Christian crusade to “save our children” from the so-called deviant “abominations of God.” Bryant became infamous in the late 70s when her organized opposition to an anti-discrimination ordinance in Dade County succeeded, removing legal protections for its LGBTQ+ residents. The speaking tour she then embarked on ignited fierce backlash in the LGBTQ+ community, with opposition ranging from boycotts of orange juice in bars to organized protests in major cities. Then, on October 14, 1977, while giving a press conference in nearby Des Moines, Iowa, gay rights activist Tom Higgins iconically pied Bryant in the face.
Only a few days later on October 29, Anita Bryant arrived in Pekin to hold a “sacred concert” at the Frontier Auditorium, thanks to the Bay View Gardens Baptist Church. In addition to the 2,000 people inside who had paid to see her, Bryant was greeted outside by a group of 35 protesters from around the area chanting, “Anita Bryant’s gotta go” and “Outta the closets and into the streets.” Some protesters got a little more creative, holding signs reading, “A day in the closet is like a day without sunshine,” and “Squeeze a fruit for Anita,” riffing on her association with the orange juice industry. Though the protesters had agreed to leave once the concert began, their message was as clear as the large banner they wielded - “Gay Rights Are Human Rights.”
Fast forward to 2008. Nationally, the debate over marriage equality was in full swing. The federal government still refused to recognize same-sex marriage, leaving it up to the individual states. 2008 was the year that California voters approved Proposition 8, a measure that banned same-sex marriage in the Golden State via an amendment to their state’s constitution. This discriminatory measure caused a ripple effect of outrage felt all the way here in central Illinois. As part of a nationwide protest against the highly-publicized measure, a group of about 40 Peorians took to the streets - the only known protest between Springfield and Chicago. Outraged locals joined with students from Knox College in Galesburg and other concerned citizens from the surrounding areas to converge on the corner of Main and University streets to make their voices heard. “This is a more conservative area, and we know that. Everybody knows someone who is gay. A lot of times it’s just not talked about…I do what I can to support my neighbors and their families. Why not support me and my family, my relationship?” Hector Martinez, the organizer of the event, told the Journal-Star. One sign held that day highlighted the hypocrisy of the California measure - “When do I get to vote on YOUR marriage?” Ultimately, Proposition 8 was declared unconstitutional by federal courts and struck down in 2010.
That same spirit of protest continues on today. Just last year, when failed presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis brought his anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric to the annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner at the Peoria Civic Center, an estimated 60-70 people gathered outside in protest. They wanted to make sure that the Florida governor, who made a career out of demonizing drag queens, transgender children, and the LGBTQ+ community at large, knew that his rhetoric was not shared by residents of the River City. “(In Illinois) you have access to healthcare, you have protections, and we want to keep it that way…Hate has no place here in Peoria, or in the state of Illinois,” said the head of Peoria Proud, Cassie Lucchesi.
While this had all the hallmarks of a traditional protest - signs like, "In Peoria, we say gay” and “Ron DeSantis sucks oranges” (Anita Bryant protesters would have been proud of that one) and people honking in support as they drove by - it was much more than that. This was a celebration of our multi-faceted community. Local activists, organizations, drag queens, and other concerned citizens from all walks of life (some from as far away as Carbondale) shared personal experiences, played music, and took part in this day of community solidarity together.
As Peoria gears up for its annual Pride festival on July 20, let us remember one important thing - we all have a voice. Use it loudly and proudly.
