OKLAHOMA CITY — Hot weather didn’t keep Oklahomans from taking to the streets of Oklahoma City Sunday to show solidarity with the gay community’s attempts to build a health care center and celebrate the 24th year of Oklahoma’s gay pride parade.
Pride is an annual festival and parade, designed to provide leadership in the needs of the community, as well as to spread awareness of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community, said Kirk Martin, pride board of directors president.
This year’s festival is donating all net proceeds to a planned LGBT community health center, Martin said.
The health center will provide health care for the LGBT community, which might often face barriers because of their identity. Some might be embarrassed or uncomfortable speaking frankly with health care providers because there can be some stigma about being gay, bisexual or transgendered, Martin said.
Expressions Community Fellowship senior pastor Neill Spurgin said his church has been involved in Pride for four years.
“We need for those people to see us, to know that God loves them and that our church is safe.” Spurgin said.
Many in the LGBT community feel estranged from their church communities, as well as their friends and families, so the Pride festival and parade can feel like a homecoming, Spurgin said.
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