 "Photo: Ian M. James")
Members and supporters of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities came from six states to support the Pride movement at the 22nd annual Columbus Pride Parade and Festival on Saturday.
The event was hosted by Stonewall Columbus, a human rights organization serving the GLBT community through advocacy, community building and education.
Stonewall Columbus' Web site estimated 60,000 people from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio attended, making it the largest Pride event in the Midwest.
The Pride movement was born in New York City in 1969, when customers at a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn rioted after police raided the bar. Sherrill Howard, president of the Ohio Lesbian Business Association, said it was the first time homosexuals fought back.
"It was the first occasion where members of the gay community said no to discrimination," she said.
Howard, who marched in support of the Ohio Lesbian Festival, defined Pride as acceptance of being gay, both by themselves and by others.
"Pride is the sense of acknowledging who we are, a recognition of human rights," she said.
Howard believes many conservatives have a distorted view of the gay community.
"I think the battle we've all been waging is with the conservative right; they have a warped perception of what we're about," she said.
"Most of us are raising families, actively support community activities, pretty much your regular tax-paying member of society," Howard said. "(We) live lives that have a moral compass, have a sense of integrity and character, and they're disposed to looking at us as some deviant part of society."
Jim Foutz, from Greenville, decided to march in the parade for the first time with a group of friends.
"Basically, I'm not from Columbus - I'm from a small town. They convinced me to come up here to be a part of the community," he said.
By marching in the parade, Foutz hoped to help counter stereotypes about gays.
"(I'm marching) just to show people through education to end stereotypes and myths and misconceptions about homosexuality," he said.
Jerry Worthington watched the parade to provide support.
"I like to support the gay community. I've actually marched in it before. I like to be out here supporting people being who they are," he said.
Worthington said the event could educate others about the diversity of the gay community.
"Some people have no knowledge, no experience with the gay community. People can see a variety of folks and it gives you the experience of something other than what may be stereotypical thoughts of what gay people are," he said.
Lee Williams, a coordinator for the Ohio Lesbian Festival, said education might eventually curb homophobia.
"If individuals who are homophobic just took the time to get to know us, find out what we're about, they would definitely be pleasantly surprised," she said.
Foutz recommended marching for those in the GLBT community who haven't marched, because Pride can help develop of sense of identity.
"I would try to tell them that power is in numbers and taking a stand," he said. "Some point in your life, you have to stand up and know who you are."
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