Hundreds came out in support the first known formal LGBTQ+ Pride event hosted on the Guilford Green on Sunday.
The event was organized by Sarah Celotto. She founded a nonprofit called ALEX, Inc. that raises funds to organize LGBTQ+ events in Guilford and the surrounding area. Celotto started the nonprofit after her son, Cameron Celotto, came out as transgender.
鈥淚 was scared,鈥� Sarah said. 鈥淚 grew up in a straight world. I grew up in an Irish Catholic, conservative, traditional family. And it was an amazing family. But we didn't know anybody in the LGBTQ community, so I didn't know anything about them.鈥�
Her husband and Cameron鈥檚 father, Joe Celotto, said he felt unsure of how to handle the news.
鈥淎 year ago, if you told me that I would be going to a pride event, I would have asked you, 鈥榃hat is a pride event?鈥欌�� Joe said.
Cameron Celotto, 16, said that his mother was determined to educate herself about LGBTQ+ issues, and took him to several pride events last summer, which made her realize that Guilford didn鈥檛 have any pride events of its own.
鈥淔irst of all, it鈥檚 a lot [of work] to get this all together,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淎nd although there is, like, an infinite amount of love and support, there are also a few that are negative about it. And I think that worries a lot of people.鈥�
鈥淚 think it's because we are such a liberal community that nobody really felt the need for [a Pride event],鈥� Sarah added. 鈥淸The LGBTQ+] community is welcome everywhere. I didn't really see [any discrimination] until I had a child that was immersed in the [LGBTQ+] community. And some of the things that began to be said to him and how lonely he was over at certain times.鈥�
Sarah said the recent politicization of transgender issues opened her eyes to how some people in her community actually felt.
鈥淪ome of the awful things that our politicians have said, I would see some of the [Guilford] community, our own community, agreeing with these things on social media,鈥� Sarah said. 鈥淭he more I looked, I was like, 鈥業 can't make the assumption that everybody's feeling loved and accepted here, because maybe they're not.鈥欌��
Cameron said that after the pride event was announced, there was some pushback from Guilford locals online, including threats to protest.
鈥淭hey were saying things like, 鈥榃hy can鈥檛 we have a heterosexual parade?鈥欌�� Cameron said. 鈥淧eople were saying that it would be a sexual event, and that is the farthest [thing] from the truth. [Some people said] they were going to bring and hand out bibles.鈥�
Organizers said there was nobody protesting the event in-person, but that police estimated at least 2,000 attendees.
ALEX, Inc. said they are already planning next year鈥檚 Pride event, and a 鈥淨ueer Prom鈥� for local high school students.
