This year’s Pride festivities looked a lot different from the colorful crowds of parades past, due to covid-19 Public health concerns. Across Georgia, Pride committees in large & rural communities celebrated their LGBTQ+ community in commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising through virtual events. Across all virtual Pride events, this month voting was a recurring theme. Many Pride commissions had discussions on the importance of voting, and were encouraging LGBTQ individuals, and their allies, to create a voting plan. Georgia Equality did their part in bringing in The Pride Celebration by co hosting an Advocacy training series for HIV focused organizations across the south. Staff members Chanel Haley and Alexa Bryant held an intimate discussion on the intersections of the LGBTQ+ Community & Black Lives, which Featured Georgia quality board members Patricia Lassiter and Justine Ingram.

LGBTQ community and allies did not get the opportunity to parade down Peachtree Street with colorful rainbow memorabilia for Atlanta Pride. The Atlanta Pride committee approved a few virtual events. There were some unofficial Pride events that made headlines due to the large crowds defying covid-19 standards. But approved events ranged from a Cooking Class with Big Feedia, Voguing With Jeterbydameter, a Gender, Diversity, and Disability Discussion co hosted by Compassionate Atlanta and SOJOURN , and SWEET TEA: A Queer Variety Show.

Out of Macon, Macon Pride teamed with Theater Macon for a drive-in movie event featuring the 1985 Mystery/Comedy film “Clue.” For October, Macon Pride also partnered with the Historic Macon Foundation to introduce a weekly LGBT history docu-series that featured young, up-and-coming, and legendary local LGBT activists.

In Savannah, there were no crowds dancing in Ellis Square or dazzling drag shows at Club One for Savannah Pride. However, Barrelhouse South, Rogue Water Tap House, Congress Street Social Club, Boomys, The Rail Pub, The Grove Savannah, Moon River Brewing Company, and Stafford’s Public House co hosted an outdoor, happy hour bar crawl to help raise money for the programs and services of the Savannah LGBT Center.

In the Southwest part of the state, people were able to attend the virtual South Georgia Pride, being able to participate in COMING OUT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE PANEL; a panel discussion on addressing racism in LGBTQIA experiences. The esteemed panelists included Lorin Kelly, Tegra Myanna, and Ravion Starr. The guest speaker was  Chanel Haley, Gender Policy Manager for Gender Equality, who spoke on advocacy and trans inclusion. Virtual attendees also were able to experience drag performances from Sabryna Chanyl, Khona LaBeija Velour Phoenix, and many more.

Boro Pride in Statesboro, GA, was jam-packed with Virtual Pride events. Those who tuned in saw spectacular performances from drag performers Brigitte Bidet, CoCo Iman Starr, and Miss Terra Cotta Sugarbaker. There were a slew of performances from musicians and comedic talents like Thea Jones, Kristen Ford, and Kia Barnes. One Boro (the city commission on diversity) also welcomed participants to be a part of a virtual town hall meeting to discuss issues that the LGBTQ community in Statesboro face. 

On Tuesday, October 20th, after the Pride weekend festivities ended, the Statesboro City Council passed a nondiscrimination ordinance,  the measure being 4 to 1. Statesboro’s non-discrimination ordinance would protect residents from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, and public spaces like restaurant, businesses, and more. This decision makes Statesboro the eleventh city in Georgia to pass these protections, and it’s further evidence of the undeniable momentum of the LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections statewide.