When is Portland Pride? Is it in June, the globally-recognized Pride month inspired by the Stonewall riots? Or is it in July, on the newly marked Portland Pride Parade day (July 16) that caps a week of Darcelle XV Showplace and Wildfang working it to break the world record for longest drag artist performance?
Respect to the queers who held Portland Pride in June since 1975, but if the hailstorm on Sunday June 18—when the Pride Parade would ordinarily have taken place—was any indication, July is divinely approved. Like Poison Waters told us in December, “having Pride during a torrential downpour was never ideal.”
At the Mercury, we’re proud to celebrate queerness all year round—but the annual Queer Guide presents an opportunity to show a little extra love. We’re taking up space with a nice long Q&A, where Drunk Herstory host Shandi Evans made us laugh almost as much as the event they co-founded, and where drag artists lip sync skits to a soundtrack of slurred history stories. We’re shining a spotlight on rapper Candid Ramblings, who recently released a track about her partner that gives off major bashful blush. We’re diving into Hi Honey, I’m Homo, an engrossing history of queerness on TV from cultural critic (formerly of our sister pub The Stranger) Matt Baume.
It gives us time to share a deeper look at a Portland mom who fought to change her son’s “other than honorable” discharge status from the Navy. Now she’s asking why there isn’t clemency for all service members who’ve been discharged for being gay. And we have an explainer about our city’s 2023 parade and festival changes, where we talked to Pride Northwest and some well known LGBTQ+ event organizers.
It’s been Pride. And it’s still Pride. It’s time to meetcute and strut—check our Everout calendar team’s round-up of amazing events for inspo. Also, we’re nowhere near done. Expect to see stories still rolling out over the next couple weeks—including the impending Mercury liveblog of Drag-a-Thon.
When is Pride? It’s how long Martin Cerezo’s mom is going to fight for him. It’s how long drag artists will be hilarious, true royalty. It’s how long you’re going to love.
Pride is forever, especially now.
