In the wake of the civil unions bill that died a procedural death in the Republican-controlled Colorado House in May and President Barack Obama’s recent vocal support of gay marriage, this year’s Denver PrideFest had a particularly political charge.
Saturday and Sunday marked the 37th year for the event that celebrates Colorado’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities. Sunday’s parade was more than a mile long, and by afternoon, Civic Center was packed with people dancing in front of three separate stages and lounging in the grassy areas.
Several Colorado politicians and political organizations attended to show support for the GLBT community and used the past month’s developments as a chance to mobilize voters and raise funds.
Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, was one of the parade marshals on Sunday, and he said that this year emotions surrounding the civil unions bill — which would have passed with Republican support had GOP leadership allowed it to go to a full House vote — and Obama’s announcement were tangible among the crowd.
“The right tone has been set this year during an election year — and such an important election year,” Steadman said. “We’re potentially electing the most supportive president our community has ever seen in the White House and a legislature that every year gets closer to correcting the various injustices our community suffers.”
The other parade marshals included Reps. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, and Sue Schafer, D-Wheat Ridge, as well as Sen. Lucía Guzmán, D-Denver. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson also marched in Sunday’s parade.
Guzmán said she believes the president’s announcement coming on the heels of Colorado’s civil unions bill will re- ignite Coloradans’ hope for GLBT equality.
“Anytime a leader comes out in that way … they stimulate other qualities of leadership that are maybe lying there in wait,” Guzmán said. “It’s a key part of this leadership that’s stimulated when we needed it. It came at a good time.”
The Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado, an organization advocating for a more inclusive Republican Party and GLBT equality, also had a booth at PrideFest. Alex Hornaday, vice president of the Colorado chapter, said it is supporting Republican politicians in the parade, including Alan Johnson, a Republican running for Colorado House District 8, but it also is making connections in the GLBT community.
“We want to show Republicans that there are gay people who are good Republicans, and we want to show gay people that there are Republicans who support their rights,” Hornaday said.
The organization will actively support another civil unions bill if one is brought forward in the next legislative season, he said.
“We were disappointed with how close it came in the last session, and yet still didn’t make it,” Hornaday said. “We look forward to being part of it once again.”
Other booths around the festival that housed political organizations included Obama’s campaign and the Stonewall Democrats.
Two festivalgoers, 18-year-old Rachel Chaffee and her girlfriend, 21-year-old Ashley Lamberg, said they felt motivated this year to be more politically involved and started by registering to vote Sunday morning.
“I want to be able to marry my girlfriend,” Chaffee said. “We’ve been together for a year, and I just don’t see the harm in it. It’s not going to hurt anybody.”
Chaffee said the two drove from Grand Junction to attend PrideFest for the first time. She said they see Obama’s support as a step in the “right direction” after Colorado’s failed civil unions bill.
“Before we know it, gay marriage will be like women’s voting rights or black voting rights — just a thing in history,” she said. “I’m positive that it will happen in my generation.”
Sarah Simmons: 303-954-1210 or ssimmons@denverpost.com
